Colorado Rapids will welcome San Diego to the Dick's Sporting Goods Park this weekend for their gameweek eight MLS fixture.
Sitting second with 14 points, two adrift of the Vancouver Whitecaps, the visitors will aim to go top of the Western Conference standings, while the hosts will hope to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat against the Caps last time out.
Match preview
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After dismal campaigns in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the Colorado Rapids have found a new lease of life under Chris Armas this term.
The Pids started unbeaten in their first four matches of the season, drawing two and winning a couple, before they were stopped in their tracks by the Portland Timbers, who handed them a 3-0 defeat in gameweek five.
They soon got back to winning ways with a 2-0 triumph over Charlotte - a victory which took their tally to 11 points - earning their best start to the season after six fixtures since 2014.
However, they could not build on that result, falling to a 2-0 defeat against the Vancouver Whitecaps in their last outing.
With only one league victory in front of their fans since October 2004, the hosts are in for a stern test against the visiting side.
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San Diego continue to impress in their inaugural season in Major League Soccer, marching to a 3-0 trouncing of Seattle Sounders last weekend.
The visitors had previously been handed their first defeat of the season by Austin FC in gameweek five, but they bounced back with successive wins against Los Angeles FC and Seattle Sounders.
With four victories, two draws and a loss, SDFC are currently sitting second in the Western Conference standings, having accrued 14 points from seven matches, two adrift of the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Ahead of this fixture, Mikey Varas and his team will be confident of earning another impressive result on the road, having won two of their first three fixtures away from home.
In addition, the visitors have scored six goals in all their games away from their stomping ground, an average of two per match, meaning the defence of the hosts will have their hands full.
A victory for SDFC will see them go top of the standings, if Vancouver fails to win against Austin FC at the BC Place this weekend.
Team News
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In their defeat to the Caps, Colorado were without Reggie Cannon, who is suffering from a groin injury, while Jackson Travis missed out due to a hand issue .
Theodore Ku-DiPietro is stricken with a shoulder injury, and he will not be in Armas's plan for the weekend.
Connor Ronan has not featured since March 22, as he is currently battling appendicitis.
San Diego will be without Jasper Loffelsend and Milan Iloski, who are both sidelined with undisclosed injuries, while Marcus Ingvartsen will sit out this encounter with a leg problem.
Emmanuel Boateng has not featured for the hosts since March 8 due to injury, so he will not be named in the travelling squad.
Luca Bombino is doubtful for this clash as he is currently recuperating from a thigh issue.
Having made a return to the starting XI last weekend, Hirving Lozano is expected to join Onni Valakari and Anders Dreyer in the front three for the visitors.
Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:
Steffen; Rosenberry, Maxso, Awaziem, Murphy; Bassett, Atencio; Cabral, Mihailovic, Larraz; Navarro
San Diego possible starting lineup:
Dos Santos; Negri, McVey, Kumado, Negri; De la Torre, Tverskov, Godoy; Lozano, Valakari, Dreyer
We say: Colorado Rapids 1-2 San Diego
Colorado Rapid have been impressive so far, but they will be up against a motivated San Diego side that are in fine fettle, and given the quality within the visitors' ranks, we back them to edge their hosts 2-1.
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