A cross-conference showdown awaits in round six of Major League Soccer as Western outfit Colorado Rapids welcome Eastern side Charlotte FC on Saturday evening.
The hosts will be eager to bounce back from a humbling defeat against Portland Timbers last time out, while the visitors are chasing a third successive victory to maintain their strong start to the campaign.
Match preview
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Colorado boast two wins, two draws and one defeat from their opening five matches, with their eight-point tally placing them seventh in the Western Conference and 15th in the overall standings.
Chris Armas's men began the season with consecutive stalemates against St Louis City and Dallas before building momentum with back-to-back victories on the road against Austin FC and San Jose Earthquakes.
However, their unbeaten run came to a halt last weekend in a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Portland, further highlighting their struggles on their own turf, where they remain winless in their last five league outings, drawing once and losing four.
The Rapids' last MLS home victory dates back to September last year, when they edged past Toronto 2-0, and they will be desperate to end this barren spell, though history suggests another tight affair, with both previous encounters against Charlotte ending in stalemates.
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Unlike their hosts, Dean Smith's side enjoyed a productive outing last weekend, dismantling San Jose 4-1 to continue their strong start to the season.
The Crowns showcased their attacking prowess, racing into a four-goal lead through Pep Biel, Ashley Westwood, Brandt Bronico and Kerwin Vargas, despite taking 12 shots fewer than their opponents, who only managed a late consolation from the penalty spot through Cristian Arango.
That result lifted Charlotte to 10 points from three wins, one draw and one defeat, placing them second in the Eastern Conference and third in the overall standings.
Their early-season success has been fuelled by strong home performances, but their form on the road remains a concern, with just one point collected from two trips, continuing a trend from the previous campaign.
The Crown have now gone four away matches without victory in the league, with a 3-0 triumph over DC United in October 2024 standing as their only success in their last 10 league trips.
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Team News
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Colorado welcome back Wayne Frederick and Zack Steffen after both missed the previous match due to international commitments.
Frederick's return could see Josh Atencio drop to the bench, while Steffen is set to reclaim his spot in goal, replacing Adam James Beaudry.
Armas remains without the American trio of Theodore Ku-DiPietro, Jackson Travis and Sam Vines, who are sidelined with shoulder, toe and thigh injuries, respectively.
Rafael Navarro has netted three times in five league outings this season, but after firing blanks in the last two, the Brazilian striker will be eager to rediscover his scoring touch this weekend.
Navarro is expected to lead the attack alongside Kevin Cabral and Djordje Mihailovic, who has contributed two goals and one assist so far.
Charlotte welcome back Israel winger Liel Abada and American duo Patrick Agyemang and Tim Ream from international duty.
Agyemang is expected to reclaim his role as the focal point of the attack, relegating Idan Gorno to the bench, while Ream could slot straight back into the defence in place of Andrew Privett, who serves a suspension following his dismissal last time out.
Meanwhile, Nimfasha Berchimas, Brandon Cambridge and Jahlane Forbes remain unavailable as they continue their respective recoveries from injuries.
Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:
Steffen; Cannon, Awaziem, Maxso, Rosenberry; Larraz, Frederick, Bassett; Cabral, Navarro, Mihailovic
Charlotte FC possible starting lineup:
Kahlina; Bryne, Malanda, Ream, Doumba; Westwood, Bronico; Vargas, Biel, Zaha; Agyemang
We say: Colorado Rapids 2-2 Charlotte FC
With Colorado's struggles at home and Charlotte's difficulties on the road, this encounter has the makings of another closely contested affair, much like their previous two meetings, and could well end in a stalemate.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
