When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
TV/Radio: Altitude, 950 AM
Spotlight on Axel Sjöberg
The 6-foot-7 Swede has been the linchpin in the Rapids’ stout back line, having started and played the full 90 minutes in all but two games this season for the league’s top defense. He scored the game-tying goal in the 95th minute Saturday, despite having broken his wrist minutes earlier. Sjöberg has a history of very physical battles against Sporting Kansas City striker Dom Dwyer — in their last meeting on May 11, Dwyer received a yellow card for ripping Sjöberg’s jersey to shreds while contesting a header. Thirteen minutes later, Sjöberg was shown a yellow for a foul on Dwyer. Sjöberg is expected to play Saturday despite having his arm in a cast. Whether the injury hampers Sjöberg as he tries to shut down Dwyer could be a deciding factor in the match.
Notebook
Rapids: Colorado (9-2-7, 34 points) is in second place in the Western Conference on points and first in points per game. The Rapids enter the match with a 13-game league unbeaten streak and a 7-0-2 record at home. They have the best defense in MLS, having allowed a league-low 13 goals, five fewer than the next best team. … The Rapids received strong offensive performances from striker Kevin Doyle and winger Shkëlzen Gashi in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Vancouver. The two attackers appear to be developing better chemistry and understanding with one another as Gashi provided a beautiful pass to Doyle leading to Colorado’s first goal of the game. … Winger Dillon Serna, who is out with a season-ending knee injury, is the only player listed on Colorado’s injury report. He scored the game-winner the last time these teams met.
Sporting: Kansas City (8-9-4, 28 points) is in fifth place in the Western Conference on points. Sporting is playing its third match in the last seven days and could have heavy legs after a 1-0 loss Wednesday in Chicago. The loss snapped Kansas City’s five-game unbeaten run. … Dwyer leads Sporting in goals (8) this season and has a strong track record against Colorado, having scored three goals in seven MLS meetings. … Regis Jesuit grad Roger Espinoza could make his 150th regular-season appearance in this match. He is second in MLS in duels (137) this season. … Sporting on Tuesday signed former Rapids midfielder Emmanuel Appaiah. The No. 15 overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft was released by Colorado on June 30. … Defender Nuno Coelho (hamstring) is out.
Footnotes: This is the third and final meeting of these sides this season. Colorado has won the last four meetings dating back to 2015. … The Rapids are 21-23-13 all time against Kansas City.
