July 13, 2024 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Colorado Rapids 2 News Release
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Colorado Rapids 2 (3-10-3, 13 pts.) will return home to face North Texas SC (2-6-4, 11 pts.) on Sunday, July 14, after a three-game road stretch that saw the team pick up three points. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. MT (MLSNEXTPro.com) at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.
Rapids 2 will get a chance on Sunday to have a second go at North Texas SC after falling to the visiting side in their first matchup of the season. The 0-2 result at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium marked the Rapids’ second scoreless match of the season after failing to score against Timbers2 in a 2-0 decision the week prior.
Despite outshooting North Texas 16 to 10, Colorado was unable to find the back of the net over the course of 90 minutes. North Texas’ Pedro Fonseca and Tarik Scott were the two goal scorers of the match, earning the visitors three points on the night.
Rapids 2 enters Sunday’s match fresh off the heels of a similar 2-0 result against The Town FC. The home side did well to attack the Rapids’ box, asking goalkeeper Ethan Bandré to defend seven shots on goal. With the absence of starting center back Nate Jones, midfielder Daouda Amadou was asked to step up in his spot, assisting the backline to a strong performance in the box.
The match was highlighted by the return of First Team forward Kimani Stewart-Baynes after being out for a period of time due to a groin injury. Stewart-Baynes logged his first 45 minutes on the pitch since the First Team’s May 5 win over NYCFC.
The team’s second match against North Texas will bring back fond memories for Rapids Academy defender Miguel Alvarado. The recent MLS NEXT All-Star selection made his first professional start during the team’s first match against the Texas-side in 2024. Alvarado played 88 minutes of the game alongside veteran defenders Sebastian Anderson and Micahel Edwards. Since then, Alvarado has gone on to log eight more appearances for a total of 627 minutes.
In the two sides’ all-time series, North Texas currently leads with three wins to Colorado’s two. A win in Sunday’s match could result in an even 3-3-2 record for both sides, meaning the third matchup of the season could be a victorious cap to a lasting rivalry in the Western Conference.
• Discuss this story on the MLS NEXT Pro message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at OurSports Central MLS NEXT Pro MLS NEXT Pro News…