Colorado Rapids vs Austin FC

A place in the Major League Soccer playoffs is potentially on the line as Colorado Rapids meet Austin FC in a ‘must-win’ fixture at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

Colorado Rapids’ pursuit of a first MLS playoff qualification since 2021 took a hit last weekend as a 2-1 loss at Portland Timbers knocked them down from a two-game winning league run. Nonetheless, they commence this matchday in eighth in the Western Conference, albeit only two points clear of tenth-placed Austin, highlighting the importance of returning to the win column. This match-up has recently favored the Rapids, as they’ve won three of the last four H2Hs (L1), including a narrow 1-0 triumph in March’s reverse fixture. Going back to back is a distinct possibility, considering Chris Armas’ men have won their two most recent home league outings via an identical 1-0 scoreline, indicating fans in attendance could be in for another nerve-shredding encounter.

Meanwhile, low-scoring contests have been a common theme for Austin this season, with only four of their 17 MLS matches featuring over 2.5 goals. Indeed, 74% of Austin’s league games producing two goals or fewer is the highest in the United States’ elite division. Goals have been at a premium for the visitors as they’ve netted 2+ goals in a league-low one match this term! Therefore, their hopes of posting their first MLS win since April look far-fetched, not least because they’ve failed to score in four of their eight league outings since overcoming LA Galaxy 1-0 two months ago (D4, L4). Furthermore, Nico Estevez’s men have only scored five goals on eight MLS travels in 2025, accounting for the worst scoring record in the Western Conference!