The Colorado Rapids’ three-match winning streak will face its first road test against San Diego FC on Saturday.
Colorado (9-10-1, 28 points) has moved up to seventh place and put itself in the Western Conference playoff picture by opening August with three straight home victories. Overall, the Rapids have posted four shutout wins in a row at home, the most recent a 1-0 result over Los Angeles FC on Wednesday.
But now Colorado will try to carry its improved finishing away from home.
“We made a lot of different tactical changes on how we operate in the final third,” Colorado coach Matt Wells said. “The good news is a spike in terms of how much we are getting into the box.”
San Diego (6-8-6, 24 points) dropped a 3-1 match at the Portland Timbers on Wednesday and will face the challenge of slowing down Colorado’s recently acquired attacking midfielder, Youssef Maziz.
In two matches with the Rapids, Maziz assisted on the match-winning goal in a 2-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City last Saturday and forced an own goal with a dangerous restart into the box against LAFC.
“One of the big reasons we brought him here is his set play quality,” Wells said. “…It’s been a strong first start for him with the club.”
San Diego had its three-match unbeaten streak in league games (2-0-1) snapped against Portland. Gabriel Pirani tallied San Diego’s lone goal in the first minute of first-half stoppage time.
It was the first goal in three matches for the Brazilian midfielder, who was acquired from D.C. United on July 9 in exchange for $350,000 in General Allocation Money guaranteed through 2026.
San Diego sits in 13th place in the Western Conference, but just three points off the playoff cut line.
“Right now we are in a tough moment,” San Diego coach Mikey Varas said. “But you have to know how to suffer in these moments and the way you do that is together and your commitment rises more.”
–Field Level Media
