COMMERCE CITY — Let the cat-and-mouse game begin.
When the Rapids line up against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday in Harrison, N.J., Colorado coach knows his team will face tremendous pressure when it has possession inside its own half.
“They actually don’t want the ball,” Mastroeni said of the Red Bulls this week. “They want you to get it so they can press it and win it in dangerous spots so they can go to the goal quickly.”
The Rapids prefer to play out of the back, which could be a challenge against the Red Bulls’ high-pressing ways. Mastroeni wants his team to read the game and understand what space the Red Bulls are giving them, and then exploit it.
“We pride ourselves on being able to do everything, and trying to be proficient at pressing high, defending deep, attacking with speed, attacking with build-up and slow and methodical possession,” Mastroeni said. “You have to have all the different tools in your arsenal to take on teams like Red Bulls.”
COLORADO AT NEW YORK RED BULLS
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J.
TV/radio: UniMas/950 AM
Spotlight on Sacha Kljestan
The Red Bulls playmaker was given the captain’s armband this season by coach Jesse Marsch, after the team surprisingly traded away its former captain, defensive midfielder Dax McCarty, to Chicago this offseason. “(Kljestan is) if not the best, one of the best No. 10s in the league,” Rapids midfielder said this week. “So we got to make sure that we’re all over him. He does a great job of finding spaces and turning and playing (striker Bradley) Wright-Phillips through, hence why he had 20 assists last season. He’s the guy who makes them tick.” Kljestan led the league in assists last year and set a single-season club record. Wright-Phillips led MLS with 24 goals in 2016. Kljestan recently has been playing the No. 10 role for the U.S. national team.
NOTEBOOK
Rapids: Colorado is coming off a 1-0 home win to open the season against . Winger Dominique Badji provided the second-half goal. He now has five goals and three assists in his last nine league games, dating back to last season. Goalkeeper Zac MacMath posted the shutout. … Goalkeeper Tim Howard this week said he’s “close” to returning from a November groin injury. He’s listed as “questionable.” Howard began his MLS career with the MetroStars, which are now the Red Bulls. … Albanian attacker Shkëlzen Gashi participated in training this week and Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni said there was a “good chance” he would be available. … Striker Kevin Doyle was held out of training some this week feeling under the weather.
Red Bulls: They are coming off a dramatic 2-1 comeback road win in front of more than 55,000 fans at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta United’s first game in MLS. The Red Bulls scored both of their goals in the final 15 minutes. The Red Bulls are unbeaten in their last 18 league games, dating back to last season. It’s the third-longest streak in league history. … Goalkeeper Luis Robles tied the all-time MLS mark for consecutive games played (141). He would pass Chris Klein if he appears Saturday. The Red Bulls have never lost to Colorado at Red Bull Arena. Their last home loss to Colorado came in 2009 at Giants Stadium.
Footnotes: Colorado and NYRB last season finished second and third in the Supporters’ Shield standings, respectively. … Colorado won the lone meeting last season, 2-1, on a snowy April night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Colorado is 18-15-7 all-time against NYRB, 7-9-4 at the Red Bulls. … Rapids sporting director said he expects midfielders Sam Hamilton and Ricardo Perez, and defender Kortne Ford to train with the Rapids’ first team this season and to go on loan with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC occasionally for game minutes. … Colorado announced its April 1 home match against FC Dallas has been rescheduled for Oct. 7 to accommodate Dallas’ CONCACAF Champions League semifinals match at Pachuca on April 4.
![Paxten Aaronson #10 of the Colorado Rapids] controls the ball in the second half during a match at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on August 19, 2026 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)](/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/GettyImages-2291591540.jpg?w=525 "Colorado Rapids v Los Angeles Football Club")
