Forecast: 60s and light winds Saturday night the Rapids host the Houston Dynamo at DSGP. The Rapids sit 8th in the Western Conference on 9 points with Houston in 10th on 6 points. Note, the Dynamo have played five games to the Rapids’ six. During the off-season the Dynamo brought in Brazilian striker Guilherme from Santos. He’s been an instant hit with four goals and an assist. Playing generally on the left side of the front three he has thus far been terrorizing opposing defenses with his ability to go 1v1 and rip shots on target. Thus far he has four goals and three assists this season. One assist came on a perfectly weighted 40 yard through ball that Lawrance Ennali touched past the keeper and then smashed it in. If that’s not enough, he takes the right footed corner kicks with accuracy. Guilherme is not the only dangerous attacker for the Dynamo. In the middle of the front three is Argentine Ezequiel Ponce. He’s been a facilitator this season and with Mateusz Bogusz (who terrorized the Rapids in his days with LAFC) to his right he has another very dangerous attacker. Although he’s only scored once this season, he’s continuously dangerous. In midfield both Jack McGlynn and Lawrence Ennali support the attack effectively. While having scored eight times this season, the Dynamo have conceded 11 times and have looked susceptible on set pieces. When dropping into a low block they go into five in the back. This suggests that Matt Wells may go to tactics similar to what he used v SKC where the Rapids allowed a bit more possession than they normally would before putting pressure on the ball. The idea is to pull the opponent out and thus be able to counter with space to work with. Both Dynamo wins have come in their home games - they’ve played four of five at home and all eight of their goals were in three matches. In the other two, they were shut out including an 0-1 loss to Seattle last weekend. Although they lost this match, their attack was dangerous throughout the match and they were close to scoring a couple of goals. The Rapids return to DSGP for only the third time this season, after playing three straight on the road. Following a wacky 2-3 loss at Toronto, Matt Wells will be tasked with coming up with a plan to replace both left-footed fullbacks (Jackson Travis and Miguel Navarro) who are suspended due to red cards. Travis and M Navarro started the two previous games at fullback. It’s probable that Keegan Rosenberry starts on one side and either Kosi Thompson, Ian Murphy or Paxten Aaronson on the other side. (Murphy played fullback last season and Paxten has played there briefly this season.) Of course with Wells’s creativity we might see something unexpected here. For the first time this season Wells will be faced with fixture congestion with Union Omaha coming to town on Tuesday night for a US Open Cup match to be followed by the Inter match the following Saturday. How much will this factor into the starting XI or substitutions? Wells seems likely to go with the players that have performed well in practice this week as he has all season. It’s important for the Rapids to get all three points in this match with Inter Miami on the horizon followed by three consecutive MLS road games.
I didn't plan ahead but I want to go to this game. (I can't make next week is on reason) Anyone going from Boulder?
Agree with Mark that this game is real important. The Rapids aren't the type of team where they want to be in the "we need to win three games in a row" to stay in contention for the playoffs. Have to think Steffen will be highly motivated to make up for last week's embarrassment. I'll predict a 2-0 victory with Aaronson and Navarro scoring goals.
Tomorrow’s player availability report for our game against Houston.#Rapids96 | @TheRamosLawFirm pic.twitter.com/q4yDn6oK3e— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) April 11, 2026
2-1 win, goals by Navarro and Yapi. Even with our lack of fullbacks I think we're a better team than Houston, and we're at home. Houston has played one less game then us, due to their game at New England being delayed due to weather, but even with that their offense only has 8 goals, and 6 of them came in the two games they did play in March (against an average Dallas and a bad Portland side). This is actually their first game outside Texas this season. It won't be easy but the Rapids pull out the 3 points to remain perfect at home. https://view-from-the-couch.blogspot.com/2026/04/well-done-houston.html
What an offensive explosion that was! Can it really be true that with 19 goals we are tied with Vancouver for most goals in the league?! There were some really well worked rushes that resulted in well taken goals. What a debut for Thompson! And Georgi is all that was advertised--quick and illusive on the ball, a real threat 1 vs. 1 who drew defenders to him and fed Rafa sweetly. More of that please. When he and Manyoma were on together, the Rapids got decidedly faster and more dangerous. The playing out of the back remains frightening to watch, but when they were able to do it quickly they produced several real chances. It must be said, however, that we gave up way too many scoring opportunities that Houston botched, hit off the post, or forced Steffen to make a couple of world class saves. Let's hope that when the suspended duo return this will be better. The next 3 league games will be very difficult, but last night's showing should mean the Rapids will enter those games with renewed confidence.
Great performance. My first in-person game this season. There were a few dicey moments in the back as we were unable to move the ball out, but luckily Houston didn't capitalize early. Really liked the 2nd half subs...didn't just park the bus. I really like Navarro leadership out there. Was surprised by how empty stands were considering how nice the weather was for an April game...but everyone probably saving $ to spend on Messi.
First in‑person match of the season, and my first time watching from a box — thanks, CSA!! What a game. End‑to‑end the whole way. It easily could’ve finished 6–4, and honestly probably should have with the chances Houston missed. The more MLS I watch this year, the more obvious it is how dangerous the Rapids’ 3‑4‑3 / 5‑3‑2 is in transition. Every time they break, you feel like something real is coming. It’s genuinely fun football. Sure, it leaves them exposed if they lose the ball in a bad spot, but it makes for actual entertainment — something we’ve been starved of for a long time. And that debut from Thompson… absolute chef’s kiss. Goals aside, you can already see how naturally he fits the system and the players around him. He’s going to be outstanding here.
Four Colorado Rapids make the MLS Team of the Week with Matt Wells being named Coach of the Week. https://t.co/ShEB8DSzZ6— Burgundy Wave (@Burgundywave) April 13, 2026
Any idea if 4 players plus the coach is a record? Seems amazing either way. Also, when was the last time the Rapids scored 6 goals?
This is one of those games where the Soccer Gods really smiled upon us. It felt like everything we were threw at the goal went in, in contrast to Houston where they couldn't catch break (yeah, they got 2, but one was garbage time slop). Houston was like KC in that they just didn't have an answer for our high press. Moving Sealy over to the left side in the first 10 minutes changed the attack quite a bit, and I'll say I think he looks a lot better on that side compared to the right. Pretty amazing debut from both Kosi and Georgi. How crazy is it that the Rapids have new signings that are actually capable of integrating into the team immediately and making a noticeable impact? In the past we always had to deal with this bullshit of a new signing taking weeks, or even months, to look like they even belong. It does beg the question; What the hell where they doing before, and what are they doing now where its working? It's like night and day.
Easy,..... Wells has a clearly defined vision and plan—and you hear it every time he speaks. There’s no guessing and none of the usual, empty PC coach-speak. At the same time, he isn’t brash or arrogant. He simply communicates with clarity and purpose. That translates well and builds trust with players. The way the Rapids are playing isn’t about reinventing the wheel. As noted in a recent Backheeled article, there are some innovative elements in how he manages players, but the soccer itself is rooted in efficiency. It’s detail-oriented, intentional, and built on doing the small things well.
For the first time since 2019 the Rapids scored six goals in a match en route to a dominating win (6-2) over the Houston Dynamo at DSGP. Scoring early - 5th minute - and very late - 90+5, they took advantage of turnovers the press produced to generate quality chances. While the Dynamo generated several good chances in the first half, their failure to score doomed them to be boat raced over the course of the match. The Rapids were more clinical and Zach Steffen had a better game than Houson’s Jonathan Bond. It was a big introduction for both Kosi Thompson (TFC) with his two goals and Georgi Minoungou (Seattle) assisting on Rafa Navarro’s first. Thompson was perhaps brought in with the thought that Reggie Cannon will be out for an extended period. He played well both ways with both his goals coming when he got himself into the right spot at the right moment to finish clinically both. Minoungou had traveled 22 hours from Africa on Thursday to arrive in Colorado in time for the match. Entering the match in the 68’ for Darren Yapi, he immediately bedeviled the Dynamo with his ability to go 1v1 at pace. His first time on the ball he dribbled into the box to get a shot off. Four minutes later he again ran down the left side and then hit a pass to Rafa who one timed it in for the Rapids fourth goal of the match. Coming into the match, Matt Wells had to solve the problem of not having three fullbacks available for this match (Reggie Canon, Miguel Navarro and Jackson Travis). He did so by having Wayne Frederick play left back. It was his first stint in this position as a professional. Frederick was solid both in defending and in the attack - he was involved in the build up to the first goal. Both he and Thompson were going forward and abetting the attack. Speaking of defending, Lucas Herrington didn’t have to make a lot of clearances in this match, but in the second half 1v1 with a driving attacker he made a sliding tackle in the box. One other tactical tweak was having Sealy play on the left and Yapi on the right for the first time this season. Usually the “inverted” plays on the opposite side of their natural footedness so that they can cut into the box and get shot off with confidence. Under Matt Wells the Rapids never stop hunting goals or retaliating after conceding. Lawrance Ennali got to the edge of the box 1v1 with Thompson and hit a rocket into the upper left corner of the goal. Four minutes later Rafa scored off a feed from Minoungou to put the Rapids up 4-1. Then the stoppage time craziness happened with Noah Cobb (having come in for Thompson) forcing an own goal in the first minute. At that point the Rapids switched off and Guilherme pulled one back for Houston. The Rapids switched on again and Paxten Aaronson was fouled from behind in the box with Rafa scoring in the fifth and final minute of extra time. Yup, three total goals in five minutes of added time.
Absolutely—and it makes a difference when those acquired players actually fit the system and can contribute, rather the Rapids serving as a dumping ground for players discarded by their former clubs.
Listening to Wells speak Georgi Minoungou it's clear that he knows exactly what he wants in a player and advocates hard to acquire that player. Wells stated he had been in on him before the season started and was glad he didn't play in the opening match. Wells has confidence in the players like Georgi and Kosi Thompson and Dante Sealy (all players he wanted to bring in) and for the most part on the pitch. As @m vann has pointed out, Wells is good at coaching the details to fit into the big picture and he trusts them to do it on the pitch.