Colorado Rapids 2 Draw 2-2 Against Top Western Conference Team North Texas SC

September 2, 2024 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Colorado Rapids 2 News Release

Colorado Rapids 2 (6-12-4, 23 pts.) drew 2-2 against top Western Conference side North Texas SC (12-4-7, 48 pts.) on Sunday night at Choctaw Stadium. First Team midfielder Wayne Frederick scored his first regular season goal while Robinson Aguirre netted his first of the 2024 season.

The match started heavily in North Texas’ favor with Academy goalkeeper Zackory Campagnolo having to make four saves in the first 45 minutes. However, it was the Rapids who were first to net a goal in the 29th minute after earning a free kick opportunity just outside of the box. First Team defender Sebastian Anderson stood over the service and played a perfect ball to the far post. MLS SuperDraft signing Frederick got big to head the ball into the back of the net to score his first regular season goal since joining the Rapids organization at the start of the 2024 season.

The Rapids were able to hold off the North Texas attack before heading into a weather delay prior to the start of the second half. The teams were able to play 13 minutes before going into a second weather delay that lasted an additional hour.

Colorado did not let the double delay kill their momentum with the second goal coming just minutes after the teams’ return to play.

North Texas goalkeeper Antonio Carrera played the ball up field but Anderson was there at the midfield to read the play and send it forward to an open Noah Strellnauer. Strellnauer fed the ball to captain Marlon Vargas who centered a short pass to Aguirre who took it on a one-time finish. The goal marked Aguirre’s first of the season while Vargas added his sixth assist.

Despite the two-goal lead, North Texas kept pressing the Rapids’ defense earning two late goals in the 83rd and 90th minutes, sending both sides to a MLS NEXT Pro shootout.

North Texas stepped away with the extra point on the night in a 5-4 shootout result.

Rapids 2 will return home to face off against St. Louis CITY2 on Sunday, September 8. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. MT at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium.

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Notable:

First Team midfielder Wayne Frederick scored his first regular-season goal during tonight’s match since joining the Rapids organization at the beginning of the season as a 2024 MLS SuperDraft signing. His first professional goal was scored in U.S. Open Cup play in Rapids 2’s match versus Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC on April 3, 2024.

M Robinson Aguirre scored his first goal of the…