Colorado Rapids vs Austin FC Prediction, Preview and Odds - 9/29/21

FC Colorado is coming off a 0-0 draw at home against Toronto and the Rapids have played to a draw in each of their last four matches and have been unbeaten in each of the last 11 matches. The last time Colorado was defeated was 3-0 by Real Salt Lake on July 24. The Rapids have moved into third place in the Western Conference after earlier being as low as eighth. Colorado does not have any players listed on its injury report.

Austin has found the going tough of late, but came up with a big 2-0 victory over the LA Galaxy on Sunday. Scoring for the first year MLS Club were Moussa Djitte and McKenzie Gaines II. It was Austin's first victory since defeating Portland 3-1 on August 21. Nevertheless, Austin is last in the Western Conference standings. Austin will play without Ulises Segura, Ben Sweat, Aaron Schoenfeld, Danny Hoesen and Matt Besler.

Colorado closing in on Second Place

The Colorado Rapids are third in the MLS Western Conference standings with a record of 12-9-4, 45 points and a +11 goal difference. Colorado is just one point shy of second play Sporting Kansas City and has one match in hand. With a victory in the extra match, Colorado would move ahead of Sporting KC and into second place. Colorado has scored 35 goals but it's the defense that has been the difference as the Rapids have allowed only 24 goals which is second-best in the MLS next to Seattle’s 21.

Colorado scores an average of 1.40 goals per match and is allowing an average of 0.96 goals per match. The leading goal scorer for Colorado is Michael Barrios with 7 and three teammates who have each scored four goals apiece. Jack Price leads all Colorado Rapids players with nine assists. Goalkeeper William Yarbrough has appeared in all 25 matches for Colorado and has allowed 23 goals for an average of 0.92 goals per match.

Austin is feast or famine

Austin FC is last in the MLS Western Conference standings with a record of 6-4-16, 22 points and a -13 goal difference. Austin is four points behind its closest competitor, the Houston Dynamo. Austin scores in droves or is held scoreless with little in between. In each of the last two matches.

Austin has scored two and three goals prior to that Austin scored just two goals over a three-match stretch. Austin has been held scoreless in 13 of its 26 matches this season. Diego Fagundez is the leading goal scorer for Austin with 6, while Cecilio Dominguez has scored five and Alexander Ring has four. Dominguez is tied with Sebastian Driussi and Jared Stroud for the lead in assists with three each. Goalkeeper Brad Stuver has appeared in each of Austin's 26 matches and has allowed 40 goals for an average of 1.54 goals per match.

Pick: Colorado Rapids -182

Colorado has one of the best back lines and goalkeepers in the MLS and is allowing an average of only 0.96 goals per match, while Austin has had its problem scoring this season. The first-year club has been held scoreless in 13 of its 26 matches. Colorado defeated Austin in Austin on July 31 by the score of 1-0, while earlier in the season Austin defeated Colorado 3-1, but that was prior to Colorado going on a run of eight victories over a period of 11 matches with just one loss and two draws.

Total: Under

In the first match of the season between these two, Colorado was victorious 1-0. The total has finished under the 2.5 gold threshold in 5 of Colorado's last six matches. Colorado will be at home where the total has finished under in eight of the Rapids last nine.