Orlando City (8-7-4, 28 pts.) starts off a two-game road trip this Wednesday night, traveling out to the Rockies to take on the Colorado Rapids (5-8-5, 20 pts.). The match is set to kick off at 9 p.m. ET and will be televised locally on FOX35 PLUS and LionNation TV, with pre-game coverage beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. Local radio coverage will be available from 8:30 p.m. ET on FM 96.9 the Game in English and Acción 97.9 FM in Spanish.
Here’s everything you need to know about Colorado:
Key Transactions
Key Additions - CF Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew), DM Bryan Acosta (FC Dallas), AM Max Alves (Flamengo), CB Gustavo Vallecilla (FC Cincinnati), CB Aboubacar Keita (Columbus Crew), CM Ralph Priso (Toronto FC)
Key Departures - CM Mark-Anthony Kaye (Toronto FC), CB Auston Trusty (Arsenal), CM Kellyn Acosta (LAFC), CM Cole Bassett (Feyenoord), AM/RW Younes Namli (Sparta Rotterdam), CF Andre Shinyashiki (Charlotte FC), CF Dominique Badji (FC Cincinnati)
Take a look at Colorado’s full roster here.
News
The Rapids took a double transfer blow this week. On Friday, Colorado traded central midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye to Toronto FC in exchange for young midfielder Ralph Priso, $1.025 million in General Allocation Money, a 2023 international slot and Toronto’s 2023 first round SuperDraft pick. While the Rapids landed a sizable haul for Kaye and got back more than they paid LAFC last summer, his absence will leave a hole in their midfield on Wednesday night.
Colorado then bid farewell to center back Auston Trusty this past weekend, with the young top prospect officially heading to train with his new club, English powerhouse Arsenal FC. Trusty was sold to the Gunners in January and loaned back to Colorado for the first half of the 2022 MLS regular season.
Team Form
It has been a minute since the Rapids tasted victory. Colorado is winless in five and has not won since May 22, when Jonathan Lewis had the lone goal in a 1-0 victory over Seattle. The Rapids drew rivals Real Salt Lake 2-2 in the Rocky Mountain Cup on Saturday, with Diego Rubio and Lalas Abubakar both finding the back of the net to help Colorado overcome a 2-0 deficit.
Head-to-Head
Orlando City has experienced enormous success against the Rapids in the past, holding a 4-1-1 overall record against Colorado. The Lions did fall in their last official game against the ‘Pids, with Drew Moor scoring a 90th-minute winner in the last match before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown in 2020. Orlando bested Colorado 1-0 in the 2022 preseason, with Robin Jansson notching the game’s one goal in the third minute.
Rasmussen University Fact
Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja spent most of his time before the City Beautiful with FC Dallas, but Papi took a quick detour in 2012 to become the head coach for Colorado, his first head coaching job. Pareja took a struggling Rapids side and got them to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in his second season, earning him the FC Dallas head coaching job in 2014.
