FC Dallas v Colorado Rapids: Steffen targeting strong end to season

Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen has called on his team-mates to make good on the side’s excellent 2024 to date and finish the season strongly, starting with Saturday’s trip to FC Dallas.

Colorado sit fourth in the Western Conference standings as they resume MLS action after finishing third in the Leagues Cup, beating the Philadelphia Union in the bronze-medal match.

Chris Armas has the Rapids eyeing home advantage in the playoffs in his first year at the helm, and Steffen says it is all about mental strength as they enter the run-in.

“It’s been a long month with a lot of games and travel and everything. It’s been good to come home and have a full week to look ahead to Dallas,” Steffen said.

“It’s back to MLS for us now, so we’re fully focused on Dallas and making sure we pick up three points on Saturday.

“We’re getting better every day, it’s been fun. We have a great group of guys who are hungry to compete and to grow. It’s been a great start but now it’s about finishing strong.”

Our focus is on @MLS

Watch the full #DALvCOL Game Trailer on #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV » https://t.co/WXXYkMO6cm#Rapids96 | @uchealth pic.twitter.com/HzYzgrNot0

— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) August 29, 2024

Dallas, meanwhile, are down in 10th, albeit just one point of Austin FC, who occupy the final play-in spot in the West.

Interim coach Peter Luccin oversaw a thrilling 4-3 victory at D.C. United last time out – Dallas’ third win in four regular-season games, and he thinks it could be a major turning point.

“For us to win on the road, it wasn’t easy,” said Luccin. “We knew that they were going to fight until the end, they fought hard.

“We need to stay focused. We need to have the same energy. We need to keep playing the football that we have been playing.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Dallas – Sebastian Lletget

Lletget had a goal and two assists in FC Dallas’ win at D.C. United last Saturday, his second career match with three goal contributions in MLS, having also achieved the feat in September 2019 versus Sporting Kansas City.

Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro

Navarro (11) and Djordje Mihailovic (10) are the second pair of Rapids team-mates to each score 10 goals in a single regular season since 2010, after Kei Kamara and Diego Rubio in 2019).

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Colorado have won five of their seven meetings with Dallas since the start of 2021 (one draw, one defeat), including a 2-1 home win when the sides last faced off on April 20.

The Rapids had won just five of their previous 24 meetings with Dallas from July 2012 through 2020 (eight draws, 11 defeats).

It appears difficult to split the teams for this one, with Dallas winning three of their last four regular-season matches (one draw), but not inspiring much hope in defence, conceding five times in their last three matches.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Dallas – 39.1%

Colorado Rapids – 34.3%

Draw – 26.6%