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Preview: Colorado Rapids vs. Houston Dynamo - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 13 July 2023, 13:42
Colorado Rapids will be seeking to make it three games unbeaten when they welcome Houston Dynamo to DSG Park on Sunday.

The visitors, meanwhile, are looking to snap a four-game winless streak after suffering their 10th defeat of the season in midweek to Minnesota United.

Match preview

After a weather-related postponement delayed the second half of the match between Colorado Rapids and Portland Timbers on July 4, the teams finished off a scoreless draw on Wednesday night at DSG Park.

The match was resumed in the 46th minute, and only players who were active on July 4 were eligible to play meaning that Colorado's Andrew Gutman was ruled out for the contest, who joined the Rapids after that date.

The result leaves Robin Fraser's side rock-bottom of the Western Conference on 18 points after 22 matches, however, the Rapids have only tasted one defeat in their last four outings, suggesting they may have turned a corner.

A playoff spot is realistically out of reach, with Colorado 11 points behind Dallas in seventh, but a respectable climax to the campaign could be well-timed for the league's bottom side.

Having failed to qualify for the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, Houston's aims for the current campaign are clear: grab a top-seven position in the Western Conference and be involved at the business end of the campaign.

That ambition took a huge dent on Wednesday night as Ben Olsen's side were comfortably beaten by Minnesota United at the Shell Energy Stadium thanks to strikes from Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Ismael Tajouri and Teemu Pukki, however, there is still plenty of time for Houston to turn things around.

The Dynamo are currently in ninth place in the Western Conference, having picked up 28 points from 22 games, with just one of their eight wins coming away from home.

Since cruising to a 4-1 victory over San Jose Earthquakes on June 22, Houston have lost back-to-back games against Austin FC and Seattle Sounders, before sharing the spoils in a thrilling 2-2 draw with Sporting Kansas City and suffering the aforementioned loss to Minnesota, so Olsen will be eager to see his side snap this current winless streak this weekend.

Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer form:

D

L

D

L

W

D

Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer form:

W

W

L

L

D

L

Team News

Colorado captain Jack Price has missed most of the season due to an Achilles tendon rupture, and the midfielder is not expected back on Sunday.

Ralph Priso was only fit for a place on the bench against St Louis City and Dallas after going off injured in the meeting with Los Angeles Galaxy, but he may be fit enough to start in the engine room this weekend.

As for Houston, they will remain without Teenage Hadebe, Tate Schmitt and Ifunanyachi Achara due to long-term injuries.

Amine Bassi has bagged eight times in the MLS this season for the Dynamo so he will be looking to add to his tally this weekend, after scoring in Houston's most recent victory at home.

Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:

Yarbrough; Rosenberry, Maxso, Abubakar, Gutman; Acosta, Ronan, Priso, Nicholson; Barrios, Cabral

Houston Dynamo possible starting lineup:

Clark; Escobar, Sviatchenko, Bartlow, Steres; Baird, Artur, Herrera, Franco; Bassi, Ferreira

We say: Colorado Rapids 1-1 Houston Dynamo

Despite coming into this clash in slightly better form, Colorado have a wretched home record, and Houston have a woeful away record, so we can see the two teams cancelling each other out here.

How to watch

You can watch Colorado Rapids vs. Houston Dynamo and every MLS match this season live on Apple TV. Click here for more details on how to subscribe.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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