COMMERCE CITY, Colo – After facing a tough loss last week, The Colorado Rapids (3-3-0, 9pts, 8th West) will return home to DICK’S Sporting Goods Park this Saturday, April 11, to face Houston Dynamo FC (2-3-0, 6pts, 10th West). Kickoff is set for 7:30p.m., with doors opening at 6:00 p.m.
Last Saturday, the Rapids fell to Toronto FC in a 3–2 match, with all five goals scored in the second half. Paxten Aaronson and Keegan Rosenberry secured a goal each.
As Designated Player, Aaronson has recorded five goal contributions in the last five matches, with three goals and two assists. The organization recently referred to him as having been “playing at a top level in MIS play.” Aaronson scored his first career brace against Sporting KC on March 21 to help the team win 4-1.
Despite early and persistent physicality throughout the match, the Rapids were unable to secure the win on Saturday. A one-point differential and an own goal from Goalkeeper Zack Steffen in the 77th minute secured their fate, all with Kosi Thompson watching from the sidelines.
Thompson, who the Rapids organization announced had been acquired from Toronto FC in exchange for up to $400,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM), spent over four years with the Canadian club, signing a First Team Homegrown Player contract in February of 2022.
“It was an emotional match for sure. At the end of the day, I wear the Colorado badge now, so it was disappointing watching it and seeing the scoreline as what it was,” Thompson said earlier this week. There are no hard feelings between the old club. At this point in my career, I’m all eyes forward with Colorado.”
The 23-year-old defender is under contract through the 2026 season and began training with the team earlier this week. He is likely to feature in the starting eleven, with an increased role due to the absence of fellow defenders Jackson Travis and Miguel Navarro.
Both players received red cards last week, contributing to a total of ten cards (both yellow and red) throughout the match and will face a match suspension this week. Travis has started in every match of the regular season and Navarro has started in the last two.
“Him being able to train with the team has been great. Obviously, Jackson and Miguel are both missing… We have looked at a couple of different solutions this week,” head coach Matt Wells said. “But the good news is we have got good solutions.”
In his first season with the Rapids, and leading the youngest team in MLS this season, Wells is expected to utilize new roster additions and showcase his depth, having used all but four available substitutes last week.
In addition to Thompson, the club also announced the acquisition of defender Loïc Williams and winger Georgi Minoungou.
Williams, 24, who Wells claims to have been “someone we have been chasing for a long time,” enters the Centennial State from Granada and is on contract through the 2029-30 season. Wells has stated that he views Williams as a good “long-term option” for the team.
Minoungou, 23, joins the roster after two seasons with the Seattle Sounders, signing with Colorado in exchange for $2,000,000 in GAM, split evenly between the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The deal was completed before the close of the MLS Primary Transfer Window, and Seattle may retain a sell-on percentage.
Both Williams and Minoungou have the potential to make their club debuts this week, which would also mark Williams’ first MLS appearance.
Other players to watch include midfielder Ali Fadal, who could make both his club and MLS debut, and forwards Donavan Phillip, Bryce Jamison, and Mamadou Billo Diop, all of whom have the potential to start this week—marking club debuts for Phillip and Jamison, as well as MLS starting debuts for both, while Diop would make his first start for the club.
Regardless of the dynamic roster adjustments, the Colorado club can be expected to be faced with heavy offensive pressure from the Texas team. Guilherme Lopes de Almeida, known by fans as Guilherme, leads the team in goals, having scored four during the regular season.
Midfielders Guilherme and Jack McGlynn lead the team with three assists each, contributing to the six points so far this season.
“(Jack) is a big part of what they do. They have threats all over the pitch. They have a really clearly defined shape,” Wells said. “We are under no illusions. We have to be at our very best to get the points and we’ll try and deliver our normal high-intensity football to try and dominate the game.”
With the home advantage, Colorado will welcome the team to altitude and attempt to strengthen their home record against the Dynamos, which currently stands at 10-5-7. Last September, the Rapids won the club’s most recent matchup 2-1.
What is expected to be a windy night, with gusts up to 23mph, will showcase the Rapids’ resilience to roster changes and highlight both key and new players. Defender Reggie Cannon and midfielders Connor Ronan and Ted Ku-DiPietro remained out last week due to injury and remain questionable for the match.
