A place in the Leagues Cup round of 16 is up for grabs on Saturday as Juarez and Colorado Rapids face off against each other at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The away side cruised through their group-stage campaign to secure a place in the last 32, while their hosts just about did enough to avoid an early exit.
Colorado Rapids saw off the challenge of Club Leon courtesy of a 4-3 penalty-shootout victory when the teams locked horns in their final group outing on Tuesday. Off the back of a 4-0 defeat to Portland Timbers in their opening cup involvement, Chris Armas's men narrowly managed a second-place finish in Group 5 with two points from two games - the joint-fewest tally of any team in the knockout stages. Nonetheless, the Pids have already surpassed their performance from last season's edition of this competition, where they crashed out in the group stages having been beaten in both matches.
Colorado Rapids will be bracing themselves up for a potential goal fest this weekend, with their 28 matches across all competitions yielding a combined 99 goals, which is the most of any MLS side this term. However, Saturday's hosts are unbeaten in eight straight home clashes leading up to this one and will fancy their chances of getting the job done in front of what is set to be an expectant home crowd.
Despite having already qualified for the round of 32 with a game to spare, Juarez showed no signs of letting off in their 2-1 victory over St Louis City on penalties in Monday's meeting between the teams. That triumph saw Mauricio Barbieri's men leapfrog their last opponents by one point to finish top of Group 3 with five points and enter the knockout stages as one of the teams to look out for. Los Bravos' impressive cup performances have been in stark contrast to their underwhelming Liga MX campaign so far, which has seen them manage just one point from a possible 12 to sit 15th in the standings.
Juarez will now set out to make amends for their woeful performance in the Leagues Cup first knockout stage last time out, when they were comprehensively beaten 7-1 by Los Angeles Galaxy.
Team News
Daniel Chacon Salas is still ruled out for Colorado Rapids with a long-term knee injury, and the 23-year-old will not play any part in Saturday's affair. Chris Armas will be expected to name the same defensive unit for the fourth consecutive match, with Sam Vines and Keegan Rosenberry occupying the full-back positions either side of Andreas Maxso and Moise Bombito. Rafael Navarro will be looking to pick up where he left off having ended a seven-game goal drought with his stoppage-time equaliser against Club Leon. Twenty-seven-year-old Diego Valoyes made his return to action for Juarez last time out from a lengthy injury spell and is on course to be handed another cameo appearance here. Midfielder Edson Fernando will miss a fourth game on the bounce for the visitors due to a muscle injury he sustained in last month's defeat to Club America.
Predicted Lineups
Juarez possible starting lineup: Jurado; Orquin, Calvo, Mosquera, Abella; Del Campo, Mendoza; Garcia, Villalpando, Ramirez; Caviedes
Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup: Steffen; Vines, Maxso, Bombito, Rosenberry; Larraz, Ronan; Lewis, Bassett, Harris; Navarro
Match Preview
Both Juarez and Colorado Rapids have been defensively suspect of late, so we expect neither of them to come away from this weekend's clash with a clean sheet. That said, we are backing Colorado Rapids to edge out their Mexican counterparts and secure progress into the next round. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
The Colorado Rapids are in uncharted territory.
Friday at 7:30 p.m., they’ll take on Liga MX side FC Juárez at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in the Leagues Cup round of 32, their first go-around in the knockout stage of the competition. In a wild win over Club León on Monday, midfielder Djordje Mihailovic returned from the Olympics as a sub, trading a head of hair for sharper play despite not being fully adjusted back to Mountain Time. He’s had a few more days to acclimate, but it’s unclear whether he’ll start against Juárez. Either way, the Rapids are a much better team whenever he’s on the pitch.
Three Keys to the Match
1. Rapids' Confidence Boost
After using a last-minute goal and a penalty shootout to beat Club León on Monday, goalkeeper Zack Steffen — who had seven saves in regulation and two more during the shootout — said the team is in high spirits. In many ways, the sour taste of a 4-0 Leagues Cup opening loss to Portland was washed away, and something akin to the sweetness of a Rocky Mountain Cup victory a week earlier has been restored. “The vibes are good, the boys are feeling good,” Steffen said. “We’re healthy, confident and focused. We’re just excited for another game.”
2. Steffen's Form and Approach
A close second for confidence levels is forward Rafael Navarro, who scored his first goal in eight games to send the Rapids to penalties against León, but Steffen had his best game of the season by far. A performance like his against León is hard to come by, but even harder to replicate, particularly after a short week’s rest and in a must-win game. But the Rapids have played in almost as many games with short rest as they have with adequate rest this season. So Steffen’s approach and message to the team is simple. “It’s just another game, just another short week,” Steffen said. “So just getting recharged after the last game and having a good training today and getting your mind right for tomorrow. We’re just excited for another chance to play, especially at home in front of our fans against an opponent we don’t know.”
3. Rapids' Style vs. Juarez's Style
Rapids coach Chris Armas can scout and analyze Juárez all he wants. But given the short week and the total unfamiliarity of the opponent, he says this game is more about his own team and the way it plays. Still, the way the two teams counteract each other should make for interesting theater. Juárez likes to keep possession while the Rapids do what they can to absorb pressure and win the ball back as quickly as possible. Juárez can counter-press well, but the Rapids are as good in transition as just about anyone they play. In many ways, it almost seems like the two teams were built to face each other from a stylistic point of view. “We use our principles to try to counteract their principles,” Armas said. “Mauricio (Barbieri), the coach there, he’s done a really nice job. The team plays well and as we saw, even against MLS opposition, they’re more than capable. We’ll have our hands full, but we love the challenge. “
Betting Odds and Picks
The books have placed the Rapids as the least likelier of the two sides to avoiding defeat on Friday night. In the draw no bet market Colorado is priced at -138 to win, if the match is tied after 90 minutes, our stake is returned. For Juarez they’re listed at +100 to win in regulation, if the match goes past regulation time is also listed as a push.
Colorado Rapids vs. Juarez pick: Colorado Rapids draw no bet (-138) at bet365
Rolling into Friday's clash the Rapids playing at home versus a Mexican club won’t have the distinctive high-altitude advantage as both sides are familiar with the stresses of the climate. The Rapids should be welcoming back Djordje Mihailovic from Olympic duties representing the United States. Mihailovic is the so-called straw that stirs the drink for the Rapids with his 10 goals and setting up six markers, his presence changes the outcome in this encounter. The Rapids should be able to hang with Juarez, a side that has conceded 2.3 goals per match in the Apertura.
Conclusion
The match between Juarez and Colorado Rapids promises to be a captivating encounter. Both sides have strengths and weaknesses, and it's difficult to predict a clear winner. However, given the Rapids' recent form and home advantage, they have a slight edge. The match is set to be a tense and exciting affair, and it'll be interesting to see which team emerges victorious.
Where to Watch
When: Friday, August 9, 9.30 p.m ET
Where: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
TV: Apple TV, TUDN
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