Preview: Colorado Rapids vs Inter Miami - prediction, team news, lineups

For the first time in club history, Inter Miami will travel to Mile High for an MLS game against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday at Empower Field.

The Burgundy Boys currently sit sixth in the Western Conference thanks to a convincing 6-2 win over the Houston Dynamo, while the Herons are third in the East following a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls.

Match preview

Throughout the 2026 regular season, Colorado have shown their dominance at home, winning all three of those encounters by a combined margin of 12-3.

On Saturday, Matthew Wells will seek his first victory against an Eastern Conference opponent, with his side losing twice versus those sides this year.

Both of those defeats came on the road, and in 2025, this team won two of their three regular-season home encounters against the East.

Their 19 goals scored thus far are tied with the Vancouver Whitecaps for the most in the league this year, while the club have netted in 10 straight regular-season home outings.

Colorado have not conceded a single goal in the opening half at home this season, while scoring four themselves.

With 12 points after seven matchdays, they have accumulated one more point than they had at this stage of the previous campaign.

A new chapter at Inter Miami begins this weekend as Angel Guillermo Hoyos takes over as first-team coach on an interim basis.

The Argentine has some big shoes to fill with the departed Javier Mascherano guiding them to their first MLS Cup in the 2025 campaign.

Hoyos inherits a side that are unbeaten in their last six MLS affairs, just two fewer than their longest domestic points run from a season ago.

Miami have points in four of their five regular-season home outings in 2026, winning three of those four matches overall, two by a single goal.

This season, they have a 100% record in this competition when netting first, while claiming points in three of their four 2026 domestic affairs after conceding the opener.

Their only prior meeting with the Rapids came in Fort Lauderdale in 2024 when the Herons conceded an equaliser two minutes before the 90 in a 2-2 draw.

Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer form:

Colorado Rapids form (all competitions):

Inter Miami Major League Soccer form:

Inter Miami form (all competitions):

Team News

Three Rapid players are questionable for Saturday with Connor Ronan dealing with a leg injury, Theodore Ku-Dipietro is recovering from a shoulder strain and Reggie Cannon is nursing a sore ankle.

Rafael Navarro and Kosi Thompson both had a brace against the Dynamo, with Josh Atencio also scoring and Houston's Felipe Andrade netting an own-goal.

At Miami, Tadeo Allende is the only injury concern right now, as the Argentine striker is dealing with a hamstring strain.

Lionel Messi, their leading scorer, could go goalless in consecutive league games for the first time all year with Mateo Silvetti and German Berterame netting in the draw against the Red Bulls.

Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:

Steffen; Thompson, Herrington, Holding; Aaronson, Ojediran, Atencio, Frederick; Sealy, Navarro, Yapi

Inter Miami possible starting lineup:

St. Clair; Fray, Falcon, Micael, Lujan; Silvetti, De Paul, Bright, Segovia; Messi; Berterame

We say: Colorado Rapids 2-4 Inter Miami

The Rapids have shown they have firepower, but Miami are among the best in the league at coming back, and it does not take much for the Herons to respond given the depth and experience at their disposal.

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