Colorado Looks to Win First Away Game Since Break- Rapids vs Columbus Preview

Columbus, OH– The newly revamped Colorado Rapids (10-1-11, 7th West) will have to make do without their new stars as they travel East to Columbus to take on the Columbus Crew (5-5-12, 15th East). The Rapids will be at the mercy of the Visa rules to get their new attack, so the backups will have to take charge in the meantime. Columbus are somehow last in the East, just a few years out from winning the MLS Cup convincingly. The Rapids have yet to win an away game since coming back from the World Cup break. They also haven’t really been given the chance. Can Colorado get their first away win? Can Colorado get a win after going down a goal for the first time this season? Let’s take a look at the matchup.

When: Saturday, September 5th @ 5:30 p.m. MST

Where: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field

TV/Streaming: Apple TV

Rapids Win Rocky Mountain Cup

The Rapids did exactly enough to retain the Rocky Mountain Cup for the third year in a row. Colorado needed a one-goal win, and they have been doing that easily at home as of late. The Rapids continued their stellar home defensive record with a fifth straight clean sheet. RSL was a team in distress going into this matchup, and Colorado didn’t give them a lifeline in this match.

This was a match that the Rapids had to win. Not only for the Rocky Mountain Cup, but also based on the situation. RSL had rotated an already injured lineup and tried their hardest to kill the game with a very low block. Colorado dominated this match, but really struggled to finish again. It took another corner for the Rapids to break the deadlock, and it was Youssef Maziz to Reggie Cannon again. Colorado is going back to 2021 in the way they are winning games. It may not be pretty, but three points are three points.

This game was also the last for Rafa Navarro, who has since made a $12 million move to St. Louis. It would have been perfect for him to go out with a goal, but it wasn’t to be. He remained quiet throughout the match and failed to convert on any chances he was given. He was subbed out to a standing ovation. It was a bittersweet rivalry win. It wasn’t pretty, but rivalries never are. 

The defense really showed up, even without Nico Hansen. Hansen was a late scratch, but his replacement, Adam Beaudry, didn’t have to make a save. RSL didn’t register a shot on target all game. This means either the Rapids’ defense was that good, or RSL was just that bad. Probably a little bit of both. It was always going to take some good play for the Rapids to concede in this game. RSL were never good enough.

Lineup Prediction:

Beaudry / Cannon, Holding, Williams (c), Navarro / Atencio, Maziz, Frederick / Minoungou, Yapi, Aaronson

The only new names to the list are Nico Hansen and Hamzat Ojediran. Ojediran is out only with a suspension. He probably had his best game against RSL. He’ll be missed in the midfield. Colorado has a lot of depth there, so Josh Atencio should do the trick. Hansen had been hurt in training the day before the Rocky Mountain Cup. He remains injured. Beaudry did very well against RSL. He’ll have to continue against Columbus. 

The back eight feels very set in stone, with Matt Wells having a strong group across the back line and in midfield. The concerns are in the front line, as Colorado have sold two of their usual starters and their replacements have yet to be allowed to train and play. This puts the Rapids in a pickle. Wells said Yapi was going to start up top. Georgi Minoungou is the only natural winger who has started more than twice this season. Paxten Aaronson went out wide against RSL, and it makes sense for Aaronson to play there again, just until the winger replacements are available. 

This lack of depth can be a problem, but it can also be an opportunity for some players lower in the depth chart. Wells says Yapi has an extra spark in his eyes since Rafa left. He will be given the chance to lead the line for the first time this season. Players like Alex Harris and Donavan Philip have never been closer to the field. Philip did nothing but help his case against RSL; he is most likely first name off the bench now.

Somehow, Last Place Columbus Crew

One of the more shocking stories in this league this year is Columbus, which has found itself in last place in the East. Wells was shocked as well, saying this isn’t a team that looks like a last-place team. This will be a much different test than Sporting KC, especially away from home.

Columbus has lost their last five games and is winless in the last six. They have had a lot of turnaround since the summer transfer window opened. They have had 16 incomings and outgoings in that time span. Notable outgoings include Daniel Gazdag, Max Arfsten, and Diego Rossi. They have retooled, however, by signing Brais Méndez, Santiago Rodríguez, and Anass Zaroury. They have also signed MLS veteran Josef Martinez. Columbus sits in the same position as the Rapids, and many of these signings will be at the mercy of the Visa process.

Columbus are a good team that has really fallen short of expectations this season. They will be looking to return to their previous form, and Colorado will be step one. This is a much better test than the table shows. A game of depth awaits in Columbus.

Prediction: Colorado will accomplish both an away win and a win after going down a goal, taking this one 2-1.

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