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Major League Soccer

Mar 5, 2023 at 2.30am UK

Dick's Sporting Goods Park

Colorado
0 - 0
Kansas

Abubakar (3'), Cabral (69')

Espinoza (58')

Preview: Colorado Rapids vs. Sporting Kansas City - prediction, team news, lineups

By Ollie Hawthorn | 02 March 2023

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Major League Soccer clash between Colorado Rapids and Sporting Kansas City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

The MLS season continues on Saturday as the Colorado Rapids and Sporting Kansas City clash at DSG Park.

Both these teams were beaten on the opening day of the season last weekend - Colorado lost 4-0 away at the Seattle Sounders and Kansas City fell to 1-0 defeat at the Portland Timbers.

Colorado and Kansas are the division's bottom two ahead of their meeting on Saturday, with the hosts 14th and Kansas 13th in the Western Conference table.

Match preview

Colorado Rapids head coach Robin Fraser before the game against the Seattle Sounders FC at Lumen Field on February 26, 2023 © Reuters

Robin Fraser's Colorado Rapids were humbled by the Seattle Sounders on the opening day of the season last Saturday - the 4-0 loss was the heaviest opening day reverse in the club's history.

A defeat to Kansas City would mean that Colorado will have opened a season with consecutive losses for the first time since 2013, and for only the second time since 2000.

The chances of the hosts avoiding that fate are boosted by their excellent recent record against Saturday's opponents - the Rapids are unbeaten in their last nine home games against Kansas, winning five and drawing four of those matches.

Colorado have only ever lost four home matches to City, the last of which came in March 2014. The Rapids were beaten when the sides last met in May 2022 though, as two Daniel Salloi goals gave Kansas a 2-1 victory at Children's Mercy Park.

The Rapids' home form towards the end of last season was similarly excellent - Colorado were unbeaten in their last five matches of 2022 in front of their own fans, and a win over Kansas would be their fourth-straight triumph at home over the two seasons.

Sporting Kansas City head coach Peter Vermes looks on before the match against the Portland Timbers at Providence Park on February 28, 2023 © Reuters

Sporting Kansas City, meanwhile, opened their 2023 season with a defeat for the fourth time in the last six seasons after they went down to a Juan Mosquera goal for Portland last weekend.

Kansas last began a campaign with back-to-back losses in 2009 and the reverse against the Timbers was something of a suprise - City were the form team in the Western Conference towards the end of 2022, as they recorded just two defeats in their last 10 matches of the campaign.

If Peter Vermes's side are to record their fifth win in seven matches then they will need to end a poor run of results away from home - Kansas are currently eight games without a win on the road, a sequence that began in July 2022. City have also managed just two wins in 21 away matches, dating back to October 2021.

City will need to improve their efficiency in front of goal against Colorado on Saturday - they hit the target with just four of their 12 shots against Portland last weekend.

Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer form:

Sporting Kansas City Major League Soccer form:

Team News

Diego Rubio celebrates scoring for Colorado Rapids on October 1, 2022 © Reuters

The Rapids received a massive blow on Monday, as last season's 16-goal top scorer Diego Rubio will be sidelined for between two to five weeks after undergoing knee surgery.

Colorado will also be without Aboubacar Keita and Dantouma Toure, who both have cruciate ligament injuries. Jackson Travis has an abdominal injury and Jonathan Lewis is a doubt with a knock.

Robin Fraser may hand Danny Wilson a start in the back four after Colorado shipped several goals last weekend.

Kansas City will be without Tim Melia who has a muscle injury, whilst Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda are both out with knee issues.

City's centre-back Kortne Ford will also miss the match against Colorado after he recently had surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Salloi is likely to start on the left of the front three and will be looking to repeat his brace against Colorado from last season.

Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:
Yarbrough; Wilson; Maxso, Abubakar, Gersbach; Priso-Mbongue, Bassett, Ronan; Barrios, Yapi, Nicholson

Sporting Kansas City possible starting lineup:
Pulskamp; Zusi, Voloder, Fontas, Sweat; Walter, Espinoza, Thommy; Shelton, Salloi, Agada

SM words green background

We say: Colorado Rapids 2-0 Sporting Kansas City

Colorado will be desperate to atone for last weekend's hammering against Seattle, and their decent home form combined with Kansas' dismal away record means that they will be confident of doing so.

How to watch

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For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.