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After a win in the club’s 2022 MLS home opener, Sporting Kansas City (1-1-0, 3 points) prepares for a matchup with the Colorado Rapids (1-1-0, 3 points) as the two teams from neighboring states face each other for the 71st time in MLS regular season play. The match is set for 8 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on 38 The Spot and will be available to stream at SportingKC.com/live and in the Sporting KC mobile app through Sporting One.
These two sides met on three occasions last year with Sporting winning one match, and the other two ending in draws. In the last meeting, Johnny Russell erased a 17th minute Jonathan Lewis goal right before the end of the first half. Nothing was doing in the second half as the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Now the two clubs meet for the first time in the 2022 season.
Here are five storylines to keep an eye on as Sporting heads for the mountains to face the Rapids. Â
1. Familiar Faces
As stated above, Sporting and the Rapids have already squared off on 70 occasions in MLS regular season play. In all competitions, the two have seen each other 84 times, making the Rapids the most frequent opponent in Kansas City history. Sporting and Colorado also played to a scoreless draw in the desert showcase this preseason.
Sporting holds the advantage in the series with a 34-29-21 record in all competitions (28-24-18 record in MLS). Over the last three seasons, Sporting is undefeated against Colorado in six meetings (3-0-3). Despite Sporting's success against the Rapids in recent seasons, its neighbors to the west have been tough to beat at home, bringing us to the second storyline of Saturday's showdown.
2. Rocky Record in the Rockies
Sporting Kansas City has historically struggled to pick up wins in the mile-high city. Sporting’s regular season record is 5-18-12 in Colorado with the last win coming on March 29, 2014. While it has been a while since Sporting has won at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the team has been able to pick up results. The last four matches at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park have ended with a draw going back to the 2018 season. Dick's Sporting Goods Park has become the Rapids' source of strength in recent seasons.
3. A Streak is Snapped
On the topic of streaks, Sporting snapped one of their streaks last Saturday in their 1-0 win against Houston Dynamo FC. Saturday’s win was Sporting’s first 1-0 victory since Oct. 28, 2020. That ended a 19-match streak in which the club did not win a match where they scored one goal or fewer. It was a 36-match streak without a 1-0 victory, the longest in club history.
Sporting comes into Saturday with a proven ability to close out matches. Since July 2020, Sporting is 22-0-1 in the regular season when winning after the 75th and are outscoring opponents 42-21 from the 60th minute onward. Sporting has shown the skills to dig deep in the final two-thirds of the match.
4. Prolific Passing
It is no secret that Sporting is one of the best passing, and possession-based teams in MLS. Last season, Sporting ranked second in average possession and first in successful passes. Through the first two weeks of the 2022 MLS season, Sporting has continued that trend. In the attacking third, Sporting leads MLS in successful passes (256) and ranks second in passing accuracy (78.3%). It has been a team effort as Kansas City is tied for the MLS lead with 29 passing sequences of at least 10 passes.
5. Roaring Rapids
The Colorado Rapids head coach Robin Fraser has been in charge of the team since late in the 2019 MLS season. Since taking control, the Rapids are 16-2-9 at home with a plus 31 goal differential. Fraser has turned Dick’s Sporting Goods Park into a formidable venue for an MLS match, making Sporting’s four consecutive draws all the more impressive.
Last season, Colorado earned 61 points, a club record, and finished the regular season atop the Western Conference for the first time ever. Led by former Sporting KC striker Diego Rubio (one goal, one assist) and newly acquired midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye, the Rapids are out to recreate their 2021 success this season.
