Colorado Rapids vs Real Salt Lake Prediction, Preview and Odds - 8/21/21
The Colorado Rapids defeated the LA Galaxy 2-1 on the road Tuesday night. Jonathan Lewis opened the scoring for Colorado in the 13th minute from the penalty spot and Andre Shinyashiki scored the winner in the 73rd minute for the Rapids with a header just out of the reach of the Galaxy keeper. Colorado has only one player, Younes Namli that will not take part on Saturday.
Real Salt Lake defeated Houston Dynamo 2-1 at home on Wednesday. Anderson Julio scored in the 88th minute to give Real Salt Lake the victory. The goal was Julio's fourth of the season. Justin Meram scored in the 6th minute to open the scoring for Real Salt Lake. David Ochoa, Zach Farnsworth, Andrew Brody and Jeizon Ramirez are all out injured for Real Salt Lake.
Colorado Climbing West Conference Standings
The Colorado Rapids are fourth in the MLS Western Conference standings at 10-4-4 with 34 points and a +9 goal difference. With its victory over LA Galaxy on Tuesday, Colorado moved to within one point of the third-place Galaxy and the Rapids are only four points behind second-place Sporting Kansas City. Colorado has won each of its last 2 and is unbeaten in each of the last four.
Michael Barrios is the leading goal scorer for Colorado with 5, while Andre Shinyashiki has scored 4. Diego Rubio and Cole Bassett have scored three goals each. Jack Price leads all players for Colorado in assists with 6, while Rubio and Barrios each have three assists. William Yarbrough has played in each of Colorado's 18 matches this season and has allowed a total of only 17 goals.
Real Salt Lake holding its own out West
Real Salt Lake is fifth in the MLS Western Conference standings with a record of 7-6-6, 27 points and a +8 goal difference. Real Salt Lake is seven points behind fourth-place Colorado and has played one more match than the Rapids. Following its victory over Houston on Tuesday, RSL has won each of the last two and has just two losses in its last six MLS fixtures.
Damir Kreilach is the leading goal scorer for Real Salt Lake with 8, while Rubio Rubin has scored 5. Albert Rusnak and Anderson Julio have four goals each. Aaron Herrera is the leader in assists for Real Salt Lake with 5, while Rubin and Kreilach each have four. Zach MacMath has appeared in six matches between the pipes for RSL and allowed six goals.
Pick: Colorado Rapids -143
Colorado is climbing the Western Conference standings of the MLS and is within one point of third-place LA Galaxy and only five points adrift of first place Seattle. The Rapids are unbeaten in each of the last four matches including three victories and will look to take revenge against a Real Salt Lake club that defeated Colorado 3-0 on July 24. Since that loss Colorado's back line has two clean sheets and has given up an average of only 0.50 goals per match. Since defeating Colorado, RSL has two wins, two losses and one draw and has been held scoreless twice.
Total: Over
In the most recent meeting between the two, three goals were scored. This matchup of Western Conference rivals has been characterized by plenty of goal scoring. Each of the last three matches between the two has finished over the 2.5 goals per match threshold with five goals scored in two of the matches and three goals in the other.
