Colorado Rapids vs New York Red Bulls

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park forms the backdrop for a handsomely-looking Major League Soccer encounter between Colorado Rapids and New York Red Bulls.

After coming from behind to beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1, Colorado Rapids thrashed St. Louis City 4-1 at home to make it five wins in their last six league outings (L1), solidifying their pursuit of a knockout berth in the Western Conference. They’re seven points clear of 8th-placed Houston Dynamo at the start of this round and will be looking to preserve that lead, bidding to avoid a post-season playoff. Playing at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park will help, with Colorado boasting an impressive 82% unbeaten ratio on home turf this season (W7, D2, L2). On top of that, Chris Armas’ men have won their last four home league matches by an aggregate score of 12-3, with three of those wins yielding multi-goal margins.

Colorado’s rich vein of form at home spells trouble for New York Red Bull, who bid to win back-to-back away league H2Hs for the first time since 2003 following a 2-1 triumph last season. While the visitors take this trip unbeaten in five consecutive MLS games, four of them have ended level (D4, L1), including a scoreless draw at Philadelphia Union last time out. That result extended New York’s woeful run to four winless away MLS fixtures straight (D2, L2), seeing Sandro Schwarz’s side lose crucial ground on Western Conference leaders FC Cincinnati. But they’re still in pole position to secure an automatic playoff berth, boasting a substantial ten-point lead on 8th-placed Nashville SC. Worryingly for Schwarz, his charges have failed to score in two of their last three away league games.