Colorado Rapids return to DICK'S Sporting Goods Park with one goal in mind: nobody's defeated them yet this 2025 MLS season. Four games, four positive outcomes, two draws, two wins, and an opening already making its way into the club record books as the best start to an opening regular season unbeaten. That's no insignificant feat. It's a definitive message that the Rapids are coming with more structure, more cohesion, and most importantly, a roster that's starting to respond on the pitch.
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After two gritty draws early in the season against FC Dallas and St. Louis CITY SC, the team did what it had to do, which was win away from home. They beat Austin FC and San Jose Earthquakes with ease, earned six points from two forays, and climbed to fourth position in the Western Conference. And all this before setting foot on their home turf for only the second time this season against the Portland Timbers.
Players who step up to the plate
In their previous match, against San Jose, Colorado played a straightforward, even-handed, and efficient brand of soccer. Cole Bassett opened the scoring with his season's first goal, and subs Omir Fernandez and Calvin Harris worked well together to score the winner in the second half. That kind of work gives the coach confidence to look to the bench and know he's got some solid prospects. The rotation is working, and the internal competition tells him that this team is on the same page. Rafael Navarro also sees his moment. The assigned forward has already scored three goals in four matches and is becoming a scoring leader on the team. He harasses defenders, causes issues at the top, and finds himself in the box to score. When he's in his groove, the attack buzzs.
In midfield, Oliver Larraz leads the way with two assists in the first four games. He's not a household name, but he keeps things ticking over.
Beaudry's opportunity to make history at home
With Zack Steffen available for the U.S. National Team, the Rapids' task will lie on the 18-year-old homegrown goalkeeper Adam Beaudry's shoulders. The youngstopper got his first taste of MLS action on the road last season, but today he'll experience what it's like to start in front of his home crowd at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park.
And here's the twist: if Beaudry gets a win or a shutout, he'll be the youngest goalkeeper in club history to reach either milestone. It's one of those evenings that can be the start of something new for a player. No hype, no limelight, just genuine responsibility, and a crowd that will be observing every save keenly.
Portland Timbers are still looking for answers
This week, the opposition is the Portland Timbers, with four points from four matches and a season that even yet seems uncertain. They salvaged a 1-1 tie against LA Galaxy last week to remain close to the bottom of the West, in 12th place. And their performance has been far from even.
Felipe Mora scored the goal for the team on Sunday, his season's first and 40th overall in his Timbers career. Along with David Da Costa, who assisted with the goal, and Antony, they've been the team's main attacking sources so far. But overall, the team production has been limited, and the inconsistency is slowing them down. They show glimmers of urgency, but they just can't sustain it for 90 minutes. And at this juncture, those slippages matter. A recent showdown that's been fairly even
Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids faced each other three times in 2024. They shared their MLS games, with each team winning a game, and the Timbers won the third meeting in the Leagues Cup. However, the most recent meeting between the two at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park was a 2-1 win for the Rapids. That's a significant statistic. Colorado can defeat this team on home soil. And that has a psychological impact on both teams. The Timbers need to break the pattern of inconsistent performances if they are to leave Colorado with any points. The side has yet to turn potential into results, and the pressure is starting to tell. The manager has already said it, they've got to be more ruthless. But as yet, that just hasn't happened.