Croatia
Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

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

sportsmole.co.uk, 2 October 2023, 20:52
Dallas will look to move a step closer to securing their place in the MLS playoffs when they face Colorado Rapids on Wednesday.

While the hosts are hoping to maintain their spot in the top nine, Colorado are sitting at the foot of the Western Conference and only have pride to play for.

Match preview

While Dallas have gone six MLS matches without defeat, Nico Estevez will be frustrated with the fact his side have drawn five matches in their unbeaten run.

After drawing with Atlanta United and Seattle Sounders, Dallas picked up maximum points in their away meeting with Real Salt Lake on September 21.

Since that result, they have gone on to play out three consecutive draws, including Sunday's goalless affair in the Texas Derby against Houston Dynamo.

Having missed the chance to convert a number of draws into victories, Dallas are currently in ninth place in the Western Conference, which would secure them a place in the wildcard round.

Sitting just three points clear of the chasing pack, their main priority will be to secure their place in the top nine, but they will also be harbouring hopes of closing the two-point gap to the top seven and a spot in the first round of the playoffs.

After picking up just 26 points from their 31 MLS fixtures, Colorado will miss out on the playoffs for the second straight season.

While there may be little to play for, the Rapids do have the chance to claim consecutive MLS victories for the first time since September 2022 after claiming a narrow win in Saturday's home meeting with Austin FC.

Andreas Maxso's 41st-minute effort proved enough to guide Colorado to just their fifth victory of the MLS season, which still leaves them with the lowest win tally in the Western Conference.

They will now head on their travels, where they will be looking to end a run of 10 consecutive away defeats in all competitions.

Colorado will need to improve at both ends of the pitch if they are to end their poor away form, having conceded at least two goals in each of their last 10 away matches, while they have failed to find the net in six of those fixtures.

Dallas Major League Soccer form:

D

D

W

D

D

D

Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer form:

L

W

L

L

D

W

Advert - content below:

Team News

Dallas are without long-term absentee Tarik Scott, while Geovane Jesus and Sebastian Lletget are sidelined with knee and hamstring injuries respectively.

Jader Obrian dropped down to the bench at the weekend following four consecutive starts, but the Colombian is expected to return to the lineup on Wednesday.

Having scored 12 goals in 24 MLS appearances this season, Jesus Ferreira will continue to lead the line for the hosts.

As for the visitors, their injury list contains Alex Gersbach, Aboubacar Keita, William Yarbrough and Jack Price.

Sidnei Tavares has missed the last three matches for Colorado, and he remains a doubt for Wednesday's encounter due to illness.

After seeing his side claim maximum points at the weekend, interim boss Chris Little could be tempted to name an unchanged starting lineup.

Dallas possible starting lineup:

Paes; Twumasi, Ibeagha, Tafari, Farfan; Quignon, Illaramendi, Arriola, Velasco, Obrian; Ferreira

Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:

Ilic; Anderson, Bombito, Maxso, Gutman; Ronan, Bassett; Nicholson, Rubio, Harris; Navarro

We say: Dallas 2-1 Colorado Rapids

After drawing their last three matches, we think Dallas will return to winning ways against a Colorado side who have lost 10 consecutive away games in all competitions.

How to watch

You can watch Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids 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.

Previews by email

Top News

23 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Hatayspor vs. Adana Demirspor (Monday, 5.00pm) The battle of the bottom feeders in the Turkish Super Lig unfolds on Monday as Hatayspor host Adana Demirspor at the Mersin Stadyumu. 23 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica vs. Estoril (Monday, 6.45pm) Separated by 10 places in the Primeira Liga table before gameweek 15, second-placed Benfica are clear favourites to outdo Estoril Praia at Estadio da Luz on Monday. 23 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fiorentina vs. Udinese (Monday, 5.30pm) After their incredible success streak was finally brought to an end last week, Fiorentina will aim to start another winning run on Monday, when they meet Udinese. 23 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Yemen and Saudi Arabia will celebrate Christmas Day by facing each other on matchday two of the Arabian Gulf Cup on Wednesday at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City. 23 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk First place in Group B of the Arabian Gulf Cup will be at stake on Wednesday as Bahrain and Iraq celebrate Christmas Day at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait. 23 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United transfer target Randal Kolo Muani is very likely to leave Paris Saint-Germain in the January transfer window, according to reports. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly set their sights on West Ham United attacker Mohammed Kudus, with Pep Guardiola keen to strengthen his struggling squad. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly set to rival Arsenal for the signature of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic in the summer of 2025. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final Premier League gameweek before Christmas appropriately served up some crackers, including a festive feast of goals in North London, where Liverpool ran riot in an exhilarating 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Even when the pulse settled a little after this compellingspectacle it was still difficult to know quite where to start todissect this nine-goal thriller. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Ange Postecoglou cut an irritated figure as he claimed he's going to stop answering questions about Tottenham's tactics. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur have supposedly expressed an interest in signing Borussia Dortmund attacker Julian Brandt next month. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's Mohamed Salah refused to give anything away when asked whether he could break Ian Rush's all-time goalscoring record after the Reds' remarkable 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's astonishing 6-3 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday evening saw a multitude of records and achievements surpassed, as the Reds moved four points clear at the top of the table. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Al-Ahli have reportedly emerged as the favourites to sign Marcus Rashford, with the Manchester United attacker widely expected to be on the move during the January transfer window. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Everton have become surprise leaders in one statistic across Europe thanks to their draw at home to Chelsea. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool will spend Christmas Day four points clear at the top of the Premier League table thanks to a breathtaking 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur in North London. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Kylian Mbappe struck a landmark effort to put himself firmly among Real Madrid's elite. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has insisted that he is "absolutely happy" with his side's goalless draw at Everton on Sunday. 22 December 2024 talksport.com If you thought Mohamed Salah couldn't set yet another record, think again. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk For a second time in successive Gulf Cup competitions, The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait will meet in the group stage, with this upcoming game taking place on Tuesday at Jaber Al-Amad International Stadium in Kuwait City. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong is supposedly not a 'concrete target' for Liverpool amid speculation over Trent Alexander-Arnold's future. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid moved into second spot in the La Liga table courtesy of a 4-2 success over Sevilla in Sunday afternoon's contest at Bernabeu, with Los Blancos ending 2024 on a high note. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Oman and Qatar will compete in the Gulf Cup for the first time in over a decade on Tuesday at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, each seeking their first victory in this edition of the tournament. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona have reportedly received offers from three clubs for defender Eric Garcia, but the player is pushing against a move away from Catalonia during the January transfer window. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have broken two unwanted club Premier League records in their humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk New Wolverhampton Wanderers' boss Vitor Pereira earned three points when his side comfortably beat Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester City 3-0 away from home on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Aaron Ramsdale was spotted wearing a modified goalkeeper glove in Southampton's Premier League clash at Fulham. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea squandered the chance to go top of the Premier League table for a couple of hours as Everton held the Blues to a goalless stalemate at Goodison Park. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Djed Spence has been named in the Tottenham Hotspur starting XI for their Premier League clash with Liverpool, while Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo get the nod up front for the visitors.