With 11 points already separating them in the Major League Soccer Western Conference, Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes will square off at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Sunday.
The visitors find themselves at the foot of the division after 11 outings with just seven points on the board, while their hosts sit fifth thanks to a strong start to the season.
Match preview
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Colorado Rapids return to DSG Park on Sunday with the aim of continuing a fine start to their Major League Soccer season, having impressed thus far after finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference standings in 2023.
Indeed, the Rapids have already amassed 18 points from their first 11 outings, winning five of those while only suffering three defeats, one of which came on the opening day, while only one has come in their last six outings.
That most recent setback came away at FC Cincinnati in late April, ending a four-match unbeaten streak and a run of consecutive victories over Dallas and San Jose Earthquakes, comfortably beating Sunday's opponents in the reverse fixture last month with Rafa Navarro netting a brace before Cole Bassett added a third 10 minutes from time.
Then aiming to bounce back from the narrow defeat in their trip to Ohio, Chris Armas's side most recently faced another tough test away at New York City FC last weekend and succeeded in making an instant return to winning ways, as Navarro and Bassett were again on the scoresheet in a 2-0 triumph at Citi Field.
Thanks to that impressive rebound and their pleasing run to kick off the new campaign, Colorado Rapids currently occupy fifth spot in the MLS Western Conference, four points ahead of Houston Dynamo in the finals series playoff spots and just three behind Conference leaders Real Salt Lake, and they will bid to strengthen their claim to return to the playoffs this term with another important victory on Sunday, being their sixth of the season and a second against the upcoming visitors.
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Their opponents, meanwhile, will set out to avenge that defeat earlier in the campaign and climb off the foot of the Conference standings, having picked up a crucial victory last time out.
After scraping a top-nine finish and failing to reach round one of the MLS playoffs last time around, San Jose Earthquakes have had to endure a dismal start to the new term, quickly dropping to the foot of the Western Conference.
The Quakes managed just three points from their first nine outings, courtesy of a 3-2 home win over Seattle Sounders which broke up a pair of four-match losing streaks at the beginning of the campaign, but Luchi Gonzalez's side appear to be showing signs of improvement since, initially ending the second of those runs with a 1-1 draw away at Nashville SC thanks to Jack Skahan's second-half equaliser.
A meeting with Los Angeles FC then followed on Sunday, and Gonzalez's men succeeded in making an important return to winning ways, prevailing in a 3-1 victory on home turf having gone three ahead through Rodrigues, Amahl Pellegrino and a Denis Bouanga own goal before standing strong for the final 20 minutes after Cristian Olivera pulled one back for the visitors.
Now on the back of a 1-0 triumph over Oakland Roots SC to advance to the US Open Cup round of 16, San Jose Earthquakes remain at the bottom of the MLS Western Conference but only a single point behind FC Dallas and six off the top nine at this early stage, and they will bid to further improve their standing with a second straight victory at the weekend.
Team News
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Colorado Rapids will remain without Daniel Chacon Salas, Jonathan Lewis and Connor Ronal on Sunday, all of whom remain confined to the treatment room.
They may field an unchanged starting XI from last week's win away at New York City FC, with Rafa Navarro bound to again lead the line having notched up five goals in 11 MLS appearances so far this term, while Cole Bassett has chipped in with four of his own from midfield.
After seeing out another clean sheet in New York, Keegan Rosenberry, Moise Bombito, Andreas Maxso and Sam Vines will line up in an unaltered back four in front of Zack Steffen between the sticks.
San Jose Earthquakes may travel to Colorado with a clean bill of health, aside from the ongoing absence of goalkeeper Daniel Brito, who has been ruled out by an injury since mid-March.
After rotating for their US Open Cup meeting with Oakland Roots SC, Luchi Gonzalez may revert to the same starting XI from their 3-1 win over Los Angeles FC in a 4-3-3 shape, with Jeremy Ebobisse again set to lead the line while Amahl Pellegrino will continue on the left-hand side having netted his second goal of the season in that triumph.
Elsewhere, Jack Skahan, Carlos Gruezo and Jackson Yueill will continue in the engine room while Rodrigues and Bruno Wilson should return in the middle of a back four.
Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:
Steffen; Rosenberry, Bombito, Maxso, Vines; Fernandez, Larraz, Bassett, Cabral; Yapi, Navarro
San Jose Earthquakes possible starting lineup:
Yarborough; Akapo, Rodrigues, Wilson, Costa; Yueill, Gruezo, Skahan; Espinoza, Ebobisse, Pellegrino
We say: Colorado Rapids 2-1 San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes have certainly started to show signs of improvement after a dismal start to the season, but Colorado Rapids have been the stronger of the two sides thus far and had no trouble in cruising past the Quakes last time out.
We back Chris Armas's side to again prevail on Sunday, albeit in a tougher test with the visitors growing in confidence.
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Sam Varley
