Colorado Rapids vs. San Jose Earthquakes | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Colorado Rapids vs. San Jose Earthquakes
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 24
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — Commerce City
August 11 - 9 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Two teams that ended long winless streaks now look to start a winning streak Saturday night when the Colorado Rapids host the San Jose Earthquakes.

The Rapids are buoyed by a 2-1 win over the LA Galaxy to snap a five-match winless streak, while the Earthquakes went on the road to beat FC Dallas for their first win since May 12.

Colorado have won two of their last three MLS matches against the Earthquakes (1L), as many as they had in their previous 25 games, per Opta.

Colorado Rapids

Colorado (5-12-5) erased a first-half deficit to score a pair of unanswered goals after halftime and stun the LA Galaxy, 2-1, at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Saturday night.

After Romain Alessandrini put the visitors in front in the 33rd minute, red-hot Kellyn Acosta leveled in the 50th minute before Sam Nicholson struck for the dramatic 90th-minute winner as the Rapids ended the Galaxy's nine-match undefeated streak and put an end to a five-game winless skid of their own.

“I think the performances have been steadily building,” Anthony Hudson said. “Even way back to Houston at home [on July 14], we’re building more and more confidence. Saturday was another big step forward for ourselves. I was really, really pleased with the players. It was an incredible week in terms of their preparation and the focus is now to make sure we push it up a gear, we keep forcing forward.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Danny Wilson
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: F - Giles Barnes (ankle injury), D - Kip Colvey (concussion); QUESTIONABLE: F - Shkelzen Gashi (Achilles injury), D - Axel Sjoberg (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-2-1-2, right to left)
GK: Tim Howard — Kortne Ford, Danny Wilson, Tommy Smith, Edgar Castillo — Jack Price — Kellyn Acosta, Johan Blomberg — Enzo Martinez — Jack McBean, Sam Nicholson

Notes: Acosta has scored in three of his last four appearances with Colorado and FC Dallas, as many as he had in his previous 44 league appearances with Dallas. It is also the second time in his career he has scored in consecutive MLS matches. … The Rapids have earned points in four of their last five MLS games at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (2W-1L-2D). They had lost their last four home games prior to this run.

San Jose Earthquakes

It was deja-vu all over again at Toyota Stadium where San Jose (3-12-7) defeated FC Dallas in Frisco for the second straight time, shocking the hosts, 3-1, on Saturday night.

Vako was instrumental in a rare Quakes win, bookending it with a pair of goals, and Jahmir Hyka scored two minutes into the second half after Roland Lamah leveled for FC Dallas in the 23rd minute.

“Of course it’s really nice to get a victory finally. I think we haven’t had a win for 80 days or something like that so it was really important to win, especially against a top team like Dallas,” Mikael Stahre said. “I’m really happy with the performance.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Kevin Partida (right ACL reconstruction surgery and partial meniscectomy)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Andrew Tarbell — Nick Lima, Guram Kashia, Harold Cummings, Shea Salinas — Magnus Eriksson, Anibal Godoy, Luis Felipe Fernandes, Jahmir Hyka — Danny Hoesen, Vako

Notes: Vako’s brace last weekend marked the sixth time this season San Jose has had a player score multiple goals in a match. Only two teams have had more players do so this year. … San Jose snapped a 12-game winless run with their 3-1 win over FC Dallas last weekend. Their three goals were one fewer than they had in their last five games combined.

All-Time Series

Overall: Colorado Rapids 20 wins, 76 goals … San Jose Earthquakes 29 wins, 89 goals … 15 draws
At Colorado: Rapids 12 wins, 41 goals … Earthquakes 13 wins, 38 goals … 8 draws
Last meeting at Colorado: Colorado Rapids 3, San Jose Earthquakes 0 (May 13, 2017)