Colorado Rapids vs San Diego - prediction, team news, lineups

Returning to MLS action aft the extremity of World Cup 2026, struggling Colorado Rapids volition invited San Diego to Dick's Sporting Goods Park successful the aboriginal hours of Thursday morning.

The Pids are hoping to marque a caller commencement pursuing the mid-season break, portion SDFC are looking for a uncommon win.

Match preview

Matt Wells's Rapids endured a dire tally that saw them descent down the Western Conference array anterior to the intermission, and fans are bracing themselves for what could beryllium different hard week.

On May 24, the Pids were beaten 2-1 by FC Dallas, a crippled that saw them concede 2 first-half penalties and person midfielder Wayne Frederick sent disconnected precocious on.

That latest decision marked a 5th successful six league outings, and near Wells's broadside 13th successful the Western Conference, wherever their tally of 16 points has them 4 abbreviated of a changeable astatine the MLS playoffs.

To marque matters worse, Colorado were seventh successful the array anterior to that shocking tally of losses, but the complexion of their run has been importantly altered successful specified a abbreviated time-frame.

As portion of their preparations for this fixture, the Rapids played a affable consisting of 4 30-minute quarters, drafting 1-1 with Mexican second-tier opponents Juarez connected July 10.

Nineteen-year-old Vincent Rinaldi gave the US squad the pb that day, but they were incapable to clasp out, and went connected to concede a precocious equaliser from Madson.

That stalemate volition bash small to animate already-concerned location fans, who person seen their squad suffer each of their past 3 MLS contests at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

Meanwhile, Mikey Varas's San Diego person struggled for wins successful 2026, but they volition beryllium aiming to debar falling backmost into a losing signifier connected Thursday.

SDFC were downed 4-2 by the Vancouver Whitecaps connected May 24, signing disconnected earlier the extended interruption with their archetypal decision successful 5 matches.

That agelong whitethorn person lone featured 1 triumph - a 5-0 demolition of Austin FC connected May 14 - but it was a marked betterment considering that it was preceded by 5 consecutive losses.

In immoderate case, San Diego are presently 12th successful the Western Conference, their full of 17 points keeping them 1 supra their opponents.

In bid to forestall a regression this week, Varas's men volition request to stay composed and debar the disciplinary issues that person plagued his side's run truthful acold - the nine person received 5 reddish cards to date.

Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer form:

Colorado Rapids signifier (all competitions):

San Diego Major League Soccer form:

Team News

The Rapids volition beryllium without goalkeeper Zack Steffen arsenic helium works his mode backmost from a enarthrosis injury, as good arsenic left-back Miguel Navarro, who is suspended for accumulating yellowish cards.

In their absence, Wells could opt for Jackson Travis connected the near of his backmost four, starting the 22-year-old alongside Rob Holding, Lucas Herrington and Reggie Cannon, up of shot-stopper Nicholas Defreitas-Hansen.

Elsewhere, versatile antiaircraft midfielder Wayne Frederick is suspended aft being sent disconnected against FC Dallas, portion the attack-minded Theodore Ku-DiPietro is recovering from a enarthrosis wounded of his own, truthful expect to spot Hamzat Ojediran, Darren Yapi and Josh Atencio successful the centre of the park.

As for San Diego, they are besides missing full-backs, with the left-sided Luca Bombino suspended for his sending disconnected against Vancouver, and the right-sided Willy Kumado dealing with a limb injury.

Adding to the database of antiaircraft absentees, goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega is sidelined owed to a backmost issue, though CJ Dos Santos should beryllium connected manus to commencement betwixt the sticks, shielded by a four-man portion of Oscar Verhoeven, Christopher McVey, Manu Duah and Kieran Sargeant.

The visitors volition besides beryllium without injured midfielder Jeppe Tverskov, truthful Onni Valakari, Pedro Soma and David Vazquez could commencement arsenic a trio successful the mediate third.

Colorado Rapids imaginable starting lineup:

Defreitas-Hansen; Cannon, Herrington, Holding, Travis; Ojediran, Yapi, Atencio; Aaronson, Navarro, Minoungou

San Diego imaginable starting lineup:

Dos Santos; Verhoeven, McVey, Duah, Sargeant; Valakari, Soma, Vazquez; Dreyer, Ingvartsen, Pellegrino

We say: Colorado Rapids 1-1 San Diego

The Rapids person fallen distant from the playoffs, but they volition beryllium hopeful astir stabilising aft utilizing the mid-season interruption to reset.

San Diego person been resilient crossed their past 5 outings, but considering their lacklustre distant record, they are improbable to locomotion distant with a triumph connected Thursday.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.