Colorado Rapids vs. Atlanta United | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Colorado Rapids vs. Atlanta United
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 29
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — Commerce City
Sept. 15 — 3:30 pm ET
WATCH: Univision, Twitter, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

They’re just one of two teams to have clinched a playoff spot, but Atlanta United have their eyes set on the Supporters' Shield and can move back atop the race with a win against a Colorado Rapids squad that has lost three straight games.

The Five Stripes are coming off a 3-1 loss to D.C. United on Sept. 2, while the Rapids fell to the Portland Timbers, 2-0, at Providence Park last Saturday.

This is just the second all-time meeting, with Atlanta United winning 1-0 last June at Bobby Dodd Stadium with Josef Martinez scoring the lone goal in the 67th minute.

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Colorado Rapids

Colorado (6-15-6) suffered a third straight shutout defeat, falling at Portland, 2-0, on Saturday.

Jeremy Ebobisse struck just before halftime to put the hosts ahead and Diego Valeri tacked on the insurance goal 20 minutes into the second half. Both goals were assisted by Sebastian Blanco.

“On Saturday, I think it was a performance worthy of something out of the game. For large parts of it we played some really good soccer,” Anthony Hudson said. “We just want to keep getting better. The mood’s very good. The lads believe, we’ve got a good group.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: M - Johan Blomberg
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Axel Sjoberg (knee injury), F - Niki Jackson (ankle injury); QUESTIONABLE: M - Sam Nicholson (back injury), F - Yannick Boli (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2 diamond, right to left)
GK: Tim Howard — Kortne Ford, Danny Wilson, Tommy Smith, Edgar Castillo — Kellyn Acosta, Jack Price, Nana Boateng, Dillon Serna — Jack McBean, Giles Barnes

Atlanta United

Atlanta (16-5-6) had a seven-match unbeaten streak snapped with a 3-1 loss at D.C. United on September 2.

Ten minutes after Luciano Acosta opened the scoring, Jeff Larentowicz leveled for the Five Stripes in the 30th minute. But Wayne Rooney converted from the penalty spot before Acosta added his second in the 77th minute to lift the hosts.

“I think we played well in the first half. I thought the tie was deserved at that point and there could have been even another goal difference,” Tata Martino said. “But then in the second half I think the penalty changed things. We lost a little bit of confidence, we got down on ourselves. Then we got a little disorganized and didn’t have as much control of the game.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: D - Chris McCann, D - Michael Parkhurst
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Greg Garza (shoulder surgery), M - Darlington Nagbe (right adductor injury), D - Sal Zizzo (right knee injury), D - Mikey Ambrose (right knee surgery), F - Brandon Vazquez (left foot injury), D - Franco Escobar (right leg injury), M - Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu (back spasms)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Brad Guzan — Julian Gressel, Michael Parkhurst, Leandro Gonzalez-Pirez, Chris McCann — Jeff Larentowicz, Eric Remedi — Hector Villalba, Miguel Almiron, Ezequiel Barco — Josef Martinez

All-Time Series

• There is just one all-time meeting, with Atlanta United winning, 1-0, at Bobby Dodd Stadium on June 24, 2017

Officials

Referee: Sorin Stoica
Assistant Referees: Kyle Atkins, TJ Zablocki
4th Official: Baldomero Toledo
VAR: Younes Marrakchi