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Ten Things To Know: Minnesota United vs. Colorado Rapids
Our Rapids play-by-play announcer, Richard Fleming, is renowned for being detailed in his preparation when calling MLS games, and he is offering us a little insight into some of his pregame notes.
Find below some things you may find useful ahead of the midweek match at Minnesota United. We have coverage on Altitude and AltitudeNOW from 5.30pm this Wednesday.
- Collen Warner’s previous MLS club was Minnesota United. He played in the club’s first-ever MLS game on March 3, 2017.
- He also started the third game of that season, a 2-2 tie at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park and the club’s first MLS point.
- Only three players remain on the respective squads from that day – Kortne Ford with the Rapids, and Kevin Molino and Brent Kallman with Minnesota.
- There are two players to have since switched sides, Warner and Marlon Hairston, who scored the equalizing goal for the Rapids in that first-ever meeting in 2017. Hairston has started two of his six appearances for the Loons in what is his first season since joining from Houston Dynamo.
- Kei Kamara is now with Minnesota. He joined from the Rapids on September 19 and has one goal and one assist in six appearances (five starts). He is unlikely to play on Wednesday's due what Loons' head coach, Adrian Heath, described as a 'gentlemen's agreement' between the two clubs as part of the trade.
- For the Rapids, Kamara scored 17 goals in 38 appearances, after joining at the start of 2019. This includes three goals in 2020, among them the opener in a 2-2 tie with Minnesota in Orlando on July 22. That strike was the 1,000th regular season goal in Rapids’ history.
- When the Rapids host Seattle Sounders on Sunday, it will be the first regular season game in November. They have only once previously played as late as October 28. That game came two years ago when Cole Bassett scored his first MLS goal in a 2-1 home win over FC Dallas (pictured above).
- Minnesota are unbeaten in their last five games (2-0-3), though that does include two goalless draws. Scoring has been an issue the second half of the season. They managed 21 goals in their opening 10 games, but have since managed just eight in eight.
- Adrian Heath's side are strong at home, boasting a 3-1-2 record in 2020. Indeed, they are 13-2-8 at home since the start of 2019.
- This will be just an eighth meeting between the two teams. The Rapids are 3-2-2 all-time, but in the previous seven encounters, neither side has managed a goal in the opening 15 minutes.
