Rapids Look To Extend Undefeated Streak Tomorrow Night

Back to league play at the Dick tomorrow, with Philly in town for our one look at them this season.  The Union have had a busy season so far, coming off a MLS Cup runner-up in 2022 they played in the CCL and made the semifinals before losing to LAFC.  They also played in the USOC this week, going 120 minutes before losing in PKs in Minnesota, so they're feeling the same level of fatigue as the Rapids are.  As part of that, and the fallout from Max presumably, Colorado signed Yosuke Hanya to a short-team deal from Rapids 2 today.  Hanya has been ripping up MLS Next Pro this season with 7 goals and 2 assists in out of midfield the first 6 games, leading hte league.  He was also the Rapids 2 Player of the Season last season.  Short-term deals for MLS Next Pro players limited them to 2 league appearances a year, so I don't expect much from him in this week, but this might be a trial run for a move to the first team when the summer window opens?

Availability Report:

OUT: GK Abe Rodriguez (Ankle, D Aboubacar Keita (Hamstring), M Max (removed from team activities)

QUESTIONABLE: D Steven Beitashour (Hamstring), M Bryan Acosta (Hamstring), M Cole Bassett (Hamstring), F Diego Rubio (Ankle)

Not a great look but reportedly the questionable players were all participating in training yesterday so it sounds like they'll likely be available, though I doubt they start.  Yapi has not yet left for the U-20 World Cup yet based on this list, which is helpful.  Harris is also back from working on getting his green card and should be available.

If Beitashour can go I'd expect him over Nicholson, and if Bassett or Acosta can go they would rotate in for Leyva or Priso.  Rubio could go in for either of the strikers.  We also don't know how Fraser is going to rotate given our heavy schedule over the next month.

Prediction: 0-0 draw.  Both teams are tired, they have a busy schedule, and honestly a cross-conference matchup might be the least important game they play in a while.  Plus they both have pretty good defenses.  Both teams are going to be more concerned with not losing than they will be in winning, and I think by the second half you're going to be looking at some pretty conservative play.  If the Rapids think the altitude has Philly on the ropes I could see them making a push late for a winner, but a draw seems to be the likely outcome and given the fatigue, a scoreless one at that.