Preview:Colorado Rapids vs Santos Laguna - prediction, team news, lineups

Colorado Rapids and Santos Laguna will both get their respective Leagues Cup campaigns underway with a meeting at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Thursday.

Both sides enter this encounter in unconvincing form, with the United States outfit winless in their last two matches, while their Mexican opponents have also failed to pick up a victory in as many outings.

Match preview

Colorado had a decent start to their 2025 Major League Soccer campaign, having picked up four wins from their first eight matches, but that early promise has since fizzled out, with only as many victories in the following 17.

Chris Armas’s men head into this fixture on the back of a 3-1 loss away to Philadelphia Union over the weekend, having previously played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at Seattle Sounders, while a 3-0 triumph over Vancouver Whitecaps stands as their only success in the last six games.

That inconsistency has left the Rapids occupying the final wild-card slot with nine matches remaining — two spots below their seventh-place finish in 2024, which earned them a place in this year’s Leagues Cup.

Colorado are bidding to emulate or even surpass their run to third place in the previous edition of the tournament, so they will be looking to hit the ground running this Thursday.

This year’s format introduces a new structure, with 36 teams — 18 each from the United States and Mexico’s top tiers — all competing for four quarter-final slots allocated to each league.

Each side will face three clubs from the opposing league in the group stage, with the Rapids scheduled to take on Club Tijuana on matchday two before closing against Cruz Azul, as they aim to finish among the top four in their bracket to reach the final eight.

Laguna ended the 2024-25 Clausura with six straight defeats, and their early form in the new campaign has begun to follow a similar pattern despite an opening-day win.

The Warriors began this season’s Apertura with a commanding 3-0 victory over UNAM Pumas, but back-to-back defeats to Toluca and Puebla have left Francisco’s men sitting 11th in the league standings.

Laguna will be looking to build on last year’s showing, where they reached the round of 32 before bowing out on penalties to Cincinnati, and will need a fast start this time to maintain momentum.

The Warriors will meet Seattle Sounders on matchday two before rounding off the group stage against LA Galaxy, but they will be hoping to assert early control on Thursday, especially considering their strong head-to-head record in this fixture.

Laguna have faced Colorado Rapids twice before and emerged victorious on both occasions — a 4-1 away win and a 2-0 home success in their 2011 CONCACAF Champions Cup tie.

Colorado Rapids form (all competitions):

Santos Laguna form (all competitions):

Team News

Josh Atencio was forced off with injury during the Rapids’s defeat to Philadelphia and the twenty-three-year-old midfielder will face a late fitness test to determine his availability for Thursday’s encounter.

Connor Ronan remains ruled out as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury, with his return only expected in late August.

Rafael Navarro found the net for Colorado in their last outing, and the forward will hope to carry that momentum into Thursday when he is expected to lead the line once more.

As for the visitors, Pedro Aquino is a doubt due to a dental issue, with the twenty-three-year-old midfielder still being monitored.

Anthony Lozano was forced off in the 33rd minute during their last outing, and while his involvement remains uncertain, Bruno Barticciotto is in line to start should the striker be deemed unfit.

Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:

Steffen; Cannon, Maxso, Awaziem, Vines; C. Bassett, Atencio; C. Harris, Mihailovic, Ku-DiPietro; Navarro

Santos Laguna possible starting lineup:

Acevedo; Amione, Balanta, Ortega; Echeverria, Lopez Vargas, Guemez, Abella; Villalba, Lozano, Sordo

We say: Colorado Rapids 2-1 Santos Laguna

Neither side come into this fixture in convincing form, but the fact that the match will be played at Dick’s Park gives Colorado Rapids the edge, and with the home support behind them, the American side may just have enough to nick it.

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