Match Preview - Colorado Rapids
Game Info
Kickoff: 7:39pm CT
Watch: Apple TV
Location: Q2 Stadium - Austin, TX
All-Time H2H Record
Austin FC has an all-time record of 3W-4L-2D against Colorado Rapids.
For the second week in a row Austin FC has an opponent that will always evoke good memories for longtime fans. Back on April 24, 2021 the Verde & Black recorded their first ever victory as a club, a 3-1 win at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, affectionately known as “DenVERDE”. Of course the goals for the good guys are the best part of that highlight package, but as another fun window into the recent past you can also see current Austin FC forward and former Rapids designated player Diego Rubio terrorizing Brad Stuver early and often.
Through the nine historical meetings between these two clubs, it’s never gone particularly smooth for ATX. All three of their all-time wins against the Rapids have been in come-from-behind fashion, including last season’s Decision Day match at Q2 Stadium that saw two stoppage time goals send fans home with some good vibes headed into the offseason. That match also included Sebastián Driussi’s 51st and final goal in an Austin FC uniform.
It was Austin’s first home win against the ‘Pids (yes, that’s their nickname) in four tries. Despite the lack of consistency against Colorado, ATX can pull even in the all-time series with a win this weekend.
Colorado Rapids Recent Form
The Rapids were one of the original ten MLS clubs when the league began back in 1996. Though they now sport a burgundy and sky blue logo, their original primary uniform color was green. Trust us, Austin FC does “Verde” better. But hey, it is pretty cool that they played their first decade at Mile High Stadium and they did lead MLS in attendance during the 2002 season.
Despite being in their 30th year as a club, the franchise hasn’t had much to celebrate. The Rapids did win the 2010 MLS Cup, but it was still just a 16 team league at that point. Hell, they’ve only won the “Rocky Mountain Cup” (their version of “Copa Tejas, but with two teams instead of three) six times since the rivalry with Real Salt Lake began in 2005. While I’d be ecstatic to have a first 15 years like the Portland Timbers (as E wrote about last week), a 30-year track record for ATX matching Colorado’s would likely be considered a letdown, even with the MLS Cup victory in tow.
The ‘Pids were actually very strong during Austin’s expansion season in 2021, finishing atop the Western Conference standings and as the runners-up in the Supporter’s Shield standings. It was the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal decade for Colorado. 2024 brought a new direction however, as the club hired a new coach in Chris Armas and went on a spending spree bringing in some notable names like USMNT goalkeeper Zack Steffen and USMNT midfielder Djordje Mihailovic. They had a high powered offense (61 goals scored) but a modest finish last season at seventh in the Western Conference and bowed out of the 2024 MLS Playoffs in the first round at the hands of the eventual champion LA Galaxy by a 9-1 aggregate scoreline.
Colorado has drawn each of their first two MLS regular season matches in 2025, a scoreless opening night tie against St. Louis CIty SC followed by a thrilling back and forth match at home against FC Dallas that ended 3-3 last weekend. But the Rapids have played two additional matches over the last two weeks, barely dropping their two-leg first round CONCACAF Champions Cup matchup against LAFC on an away goals tiebreaker. The Rapids qualified for CCC by finishing third in the 2024 Leagues Cup.
The Rapids return many of their key players from last season, including Mihailovic (11 goals and 10 assists) and Steffen. Their 2024 leading scorer, Rafael Navarro (15 goals), continues to head up the Colorado front line along with other mainstays in midfielder Cole Bassett (16 contributions) and winger Kevin Cabral (seven contributions).
Because of the low turnover, there wasn’t a ton of room to work with roster-wise this offseason for Colorado. Their highest profile outgoing players were not consistent starters last season. Centerback Lalas Abubakar, who left in free agency for the desolate hellscape of Frisco, TX to join FC Dallas, was likely the biggest name of the bunch. They also saw forward Jonathan Lewis depart the club while midfielder Jasper Löffelsend was selected by San Diego FC in December’s expansion draft.
But general manager Pádraig Smith was able to make some improvements in the trade market that could end up paying off big time. The biggest position of need was centerback, after the Rapids shipped off former MLS Superdraft pick Moïse Bombito to OGC Nice for a $7 million fee in August. They were able to fill two slots on the CB depth chart with one move, trading for defenders Chidozie Awaziem and Ian Murphy in a package deal from FC Cincinnati for $1 million in GAM in December.
But Smith wasn’t done making intra-league moves, acquiring U22 Initiative midfielder Ted Ku-DiPietro from DC United for $1.125 million on February 10 and U22 Initiative midfielder Josh Atencio from Seattle Sounders for $1.3 million in GAM (split across the 2025 and 2026 seasons) five days later.
This team isn’t quite as shorthanded as the Timbers were last week, but Colorado has had some poor injury luck to begin the season. Ku-DiPietro has yet to debut and is expected to be out until April with a shoulder issue. Presumed starters at centerback with Andreas Maxsø and left back with Sam Vines have yet to debut in 2025, with both expected to miss Saturday’s match as well.
With Maxsø on the sidelines, the trade with Cincy has already paid off big time. Awaziem and Murphy have been paired together on the backline for each of Colorado’s four matches and there has been consistency in the lineup overall, with team captain Keegan Rosenberry shifting from the right to the left and Reggie Cannon stepping in on the right flanking those two at the fullback positions.
If you go back through the Rapids formations you’ll see a lot of 4-3-3 graphics across multiple outlets, but what they really look like in possession is more of a 4-2-2-2. Sort of a “box midfield” look. With a full week of rest and nobody on track to return from injury, I could see them running out the same XI as they did last week against FC Dallas. If defensive midfielder Conor Ronan is fit enough to go 60+ minutes, he could replace Oliver Larraz.
From the film that I’ve watched, both live and on replay, Colorado really want to build through their talented midfield. Being direct up the middle of the pitch is where they found success last year and that hasn’t changed in 2025. They don’t have a true winger for the left side of their attack and have alternated between trying out Bassett and Mihailovic floating over into that spot. Bassett spent the first couple matches in the role but the ‘Pids found more success offensively against Dallas with Mihailovic as the option to drift out wide, as he was able to cause some trouble along with Rosenberry and Colorado created two of their three goals from the left side of the offensive third.
No matter where he’s positioned, there’s little question that Mihailovic is the straw that stirs the drink for Colorado. He’s dangerous with and without the ball and has already scored from a free kick against LAFC in the first leg of their CCC matchup. If he’s out on the left again then Austin FC should feel like they’ve got a great answer in Mikkel Desler, but no matter where he’s floating you hope to see his touches minimized if you’re a fan of the home team on Saturday.
Mihailovic with the ball at his feet is what unlocks the rest of this squad, especially striker Rafael Navarro, who scored against Austin in both matches last season. Kevin Cabral is still underwhelming compared to expectations when he joined the league as a designated player for LA Galaxy back in 2021, but Mihailovic was a big reason why the 25-year-old was able to post nine goal contributions in 2024, his best season to date in MLS. That said, if ATX can siphon possessions to that right side and make Cabral have to be a playmaker instead of a finisher, that’s the best way to stymie this attack.
Forcing the Rapids to build down the flanks (as Portland successfully dictated to Austin last weekend) could be a big part of the game plan for the Verde & Black. Colorado will of course not go that way quietly, so keep an eye on the battle for midfield dominance. It could be the deciding factor between two teams hungry for a win.
Defensively, Colorado likes to keep their straightforward and aggressive style in play on both sides of the ball. They will look to press high when they can. If Austin can revert back to winning the majority of second balls as they did in the opener (looking at you Brandon Vazquez) against Sporting KC, the Rapids can be stretched thin at the back and be susceptible to quick counter attacks.
Austin FC Recent Form
I said it one too many times on Sunday’s episode recapping the Portland match, but here it is again. That was a flat out disappointing result last Saturday night. With so many key players missing for the Timbers, not being able to secure even a single point felt like an opportunity missed.
But one of the many great things about this league is there’s a quick turnaround to the next opportunity. While the “honeymoon” period may have worn off already for some fans, it feels like the excitement levels to continue to watch this team progress haven’t waned a lick. Realistically, how could they? Through two games we still haven’t seen two presumed starters, Besard Šabovič and Myrto Uzuni, actually get the nod to begin a match. Uzuni and U22 Initiative midfielder Nicolás Dubersarsky just made their MLS debuts last Saturday off the bench. There is still so much to learn about this team, both from the player personnel to the coaching staff.
From the coaching perspective, we did see Nico Estévez make good on his word to adjust to the opponent, both with the game plan coming in and with in-game changes. Offensively, Austin FC played the majority of the match against Portland in a 4-3-3 look in possession. But once changes were introduced for both teams in the second half, Austin shifted to a 4-4-2 in possession and it did not go as well as planned. The team was outmanned in the midfield and it showed. The final ten minutes or so saw Jon Gallagher come on and the team shift to a 5-3-2 defensively.
I’m also not trying to suggest that similar adjustments weren’t made quite frequently, especially on the defensive side of things, with the previous coaching staff, because they were. There just wasn’t a ton of consistent progress you could point to. I’ve got my fingers crossed that we’ll see that consistency start to build as the regular season progresses under the new staff.
Of course this isn’t a hot take, but players have to go out there and do their part as well. There were also very few pockets of sustained success in that regard over the first four years of this club. With the expensive reinforcements to the roster over the last calendar year, the expectation is that the fans will be reaping the benefits of these changes sooner rather than later.
Still, I want to preach patience, mainly for myself. I think it’s fair to say that the ceiling outcome of this team on paper is much higher than what they actually achvieved over the first two weeks. And that’s fine! While the team is taking some time to find their best form (and that should probably be expected), the sample is small enough that anyone can find a stat to fit the narrative they’re trying to paint.
Feeling negative about the direction? Point to the fact that Austin FC has scored just one goal in 180 minutes. Think the team has clearly improved over what we saw last season? Turn to Austin FC only conceding once in 180 minutes. Or point out that they’re on a 51 point pace, a nine point improvement on 2024’s finish.
For this week, my narrative is neither postive nor negative. My approach is this: We’re back home at soccer church, one of our favorite places to be in the whole world, with the possibility of players like Uzuni and Šabovič ramping up to starting roles and a hungry squad that felt like they deserved more last week, ready to light up the sky with Verde fireworks once again.
My biggest question ahead of the match is the availability of Julio Cascante. There was a clear change in Austin’s ability to possess and progress the ball effectively after he was subbed out of the match with an injury late in the first half. We should get some clarity on his status from Estévez during Thursday’s media availability and then of course on Friday’s injury report (which is always updated in this article once released). Ultimately, I don’t expect Cascante to play and even dove into my (probably) crazy theory about a video posted Tuesday showing him training with the team on Episode 204.
Update: Cascante was ruled out for 2-4 weeks with a hamstring injury on Thursday afternoon.
I’ll be looking for a couple of things as the match plays out on Saturday. First, can Austin FC control the midfield? They did so successfully against Sporting KC in the opener before being outplayed and outcoached in the middle of the park against Portland. The Rapids have so much talent in those areas and it’s likely to be where the game is won or lost.
Second, are the Verde & Black able to get more service into the penalty area? You can tell that forward Brandon Vazquez is itching to get his chance to do his Superman celebration in front of the Verde faithful. He’s been about as aggressive as he can be thus far but hasn’t found the back of the net. I want to see a continued focus on finding him in dangerous spots, something that could certainly be made easier by putting Uzuni out there alongside Vazquez and Bukari. Give me a 4-3-3 look offensively with Bukari back on his natural right side and I will be a happy camper. At least when the game starts!
Injury Report
ATX:
Julio Cascante (Out - Hamstring)
COL:
Theodore Ku-DiPietro (Out - Shoulder)
Andreas Maxsø (Questionable - Knee)
Sam Vines (Out - Lower Body)
Reggie Cannon (Out - Groin)
Jackson Travis (Out - Hand)
Colorado Rapids Players to Watch
Djordje Mihailovic - The 26-year-old midfielder with 11 caps for the USMNT is coming off of a career season for the Rapids, racking up 25 goal contributions in just 29 appearances. He’s the type of player that you need to have eyes on at all times. No matter if the ball is at his foot, he’s moving into space or taking set pieces, Mihailovic is a threat. He’s already recorded two goals (one from the penalty spot and another from a 20-yard free kick near the top of the box) and an assist through four games this season across all competitions.
Cole Bassett - Bassett (whose younger brother Sam was drafted out of the University of Denver by the ‘Pids in December) can go a bit overlooked when discussing Colorado. Just 23-years-old, Bassett is a native of nearby Littleton, CO and has 28 goals and 19 assists in 105 career starts. He also posted career highs last season with 16 contributions in 30 appearances and benefits greatly from being paired with Mihailovic in the attacking midfield.
Zack Steffen - The former Manchester City goalkeeper has found a new home in Colorado after five seasons abroad. He started all but one match last season for the Rapids and kept six clean sheets. He really struggled with the advanced metrics however, like really struggled. Steffen was dead last in post-shot xG plus-minus out of 65 goalkeepers who appeared across MLS last season, a statistic that attempts to measure shot stopping ability. In the small two game sample size we have for the 2025 regular season, Steffen has turned it around, currently sitting third best in the metric among 31 goalkeepers. Let’s hope Austin FC can send him back towards the bottom of that list come Saturday night.
Oliver Larraz - The true sickos will recognize Larraz from his 2023 campaign with Colorado Rapids 2, who were in a season-long battle with Austin FC II that season at the top of the Western Conference table in MLS Next Pro. Larraz was brought into the first team on a full-time basis in 2024, appearing in all 34 regular season games, starting 25 of them. With Conor Ronan on the mend, Larraz has tough competition for his spot. But he’s been playing quite well to begin the season, assisting twice in Saturday’s win over FC Dallas. He’s a hard working young player and a fun watch.
Austin FC Keys to the Game
Adapt - We’ve seen the team change formations and strategies on both sides of the ball through two games and that will continue. What I’m looking for is how the team is going to adapt to what they’ve already been learning about each other. Whether it’s figuring out to adjust their line a step higher on a free kick from a tough spot to give Brad Stuver more space to make decisions (I refuse to participate in “right choice” Ilie jokes!), or finding the right weight on a pass to a new teammate making a run in behind, I want to see this team adapt to each other and continue to build chemistry and comradery week over week.
Let It Flow - There’s nothing like a Q2 Stadium crowd. With the enhanced gameday experience (can you tell I love the Verde rooftop fireworks?) the vibes were incredible on matchday one. Now imagine what we’re all going to feel like when the team starts banging in goals and racking up the points at the rate we all think this group can? With how poor the Rapids transition defense was last season and Austin’s willingness to opportunistically get out and run on the counter through two weeks, I think we see multiple goals for the good guys on Saturday, partially spurred on by the presumably raucous crowd. When you let the McKalla vibes flow, you’re gonna have a good time.
Predictions
ZG - 3-2 Austin FC
E - 3-2 Austin FC
