San Jose Earthquakes v Colorado Rapids: Armas eyes back-to-back wins on the road

Chris Armas is hoping to build on the Colorado Rapids’ first win of the season as they travel to face the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday.

Rafael Navarro’s 18th-minute goal saw the Rapids edge Austin FC 1-0 on the road last Sunday after opening their season with draws against St. Louis City and FC Dallas.

Armas’ side are heading into the game against San Jose in seventh place with five points from three matches, looking to climb the table with another victory.

But Armas is aware that his players will have their work cut out to once again post a win on the road.

“Coming on the road is not easy. Even home games are not easy in this league. Every game is difficult,” the Rapids coach said.

“You go on the road and, most importantly, it is the way we play that matters. We have to be the protagonists. We have to go after it. We need to be aggressive and play with intensity.

“Energy always has to be there. If that’s not there, we don’t know where to go from there.

“If you watch Liverpool these days, they are a team that understands that once the whistle blows, it is on and my guys did that [against Austin].

“That’s what winning looks like. I am glad that the guys get to experience that commitment to the way we play, that proactiveness and the energetic football and get rewarded for that. There’s a lot that we can learn from it, and we will build on that.”

Bruce Arena’s San Jose, meanwhile, are third in the standings with two wins and a defeat.

They began their campaign with victories against Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City but were beaten 1-0 by Minnesota United 1-0 last Sunday and will now hope to bounce back against the visiting Rapids.

That Friday feeling before a match pic.twitter.com/7sMQRqWUIu

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) March 14, 2025

PLAYERS TO WATCH

San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Arango

Arango has scored four goals in six career matches against Colorado, one of the eight teams that the Colombian has scored at least four times against in his MLS career.

The 30-year-old opened his account for the season in their 2-1 win against Kansas City at the start of this month, inside the opening three minutes of the game.

Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro

Navarro scored the only goal in Colorado Rapids’ 1-0 win against Austin last Saturday to take his tally to three goals in four matches this season.

Navarro, who also scored a double against Dallas, is the first Rapids player to score at least three goals in the club’s first three games of a season since Dominque Badji in 2018.

MATCH PREDICTION – COLORADO RAPIDS WIN

The away team emerged winners in both meetings between San Jose and Colorado last season.

The Rapids won 3-0 at San Jose in April 2024, and it was their biggest win in 38 away games against San Jose in MLS history.

The Rapids (W1 D2) are unbeaten in three matches at the start of a season for the first time since 2015 (D3).

They have gone four straight matches unbeaten at the start of a season only once before – in 1999.

San Jose have only conceded two goals in three matches so far – their best defensive start to a season since conceding one goal after three matches in 2012.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

San Jose Earthquakes – 35%

Colorado Rapids – 39.1%

Draw – 25.9%