Colorado Rapids vs Atlanta United Predictions

Both Colorado Rapids and Atlanta United will be aiming for a return to winning ways this weekend after suffering defeat in their most recent MLS games. Saturday marks a return to MLS action for both clubs following the international break and Colorado Rapids have the home advantage when they take on high flying Atlanta United.

Portland Timbers became the latest team to beat struggling Colorado Rapids on Sunday, winning 2-0 at home against the Western Conference’s second from bottom club. Portland Timbers almost had the perfect start to the game when in the eleventh minute Ebobisse got on the end of a superbly delivered free kick to sweep the ball home, only for the goal to be correctly ruled out for offside.

Portland Dominated the first forty-five minutes and on the half hour mark they had another goal ruled out for offside when Argentina’s Váleri got on the end of a through ball and beat Tim Howard in the visitors goal. However, the flag did stay down in the forty-fifth minute when 21-year old Ebobisse slid in at the back post to poke the ball home and hand the home side a deserved 1-0 lead and score on his first start of the year.

Colorado Rapids thought they were going to be presented with a great chance to get back onto level terms when the referee awarded a penalty on the hour mark after McBean was brought down by Portland goalkeeper Clark, only for the official to change his mind after reviewing the VAR. Less than five minutes after that big decision the hosts scored a killer second goal through Váleri after some great wing play by his fellow countryman Blanco. Both teams had a couple of half chances to score after that, but in the end the hosts did enough to deserve their victory and left Colorado Rapids licking their wounds after a third straight defeat in the MLS.

Badji remains Colorado’s top scorer in the league this season with seven goals, but the Senegal striker now plays his football in Dallas, so its Castillo, Mason, and Smith with three goals apiece that lead the way in front of goal. One player who is certainly not struggling for goals is Atlanta’s Martínez who is now the MLS record holder for most goals in a single season and currently stands on twenty-eight.

Martínez may be the best striker in the MLS this season, but an off day in front of goal certainly contributed to his sides 3-1 defeat at DC United on the first Monday of the month. Acosta opened the scoring for the hosts DC United in the twenty-ninth minute after a good ball in from Rooney, but the teams would go in level at the break thanks to a thirty-ninth minute equaliser from Larentowicz.

The next goal was always going to be pivotal in this game and just seven minutes after the restart for the second half DC United were awarded a penalty and Rooney stepped up to restore his teams lead. Atlanta United dominated the game and ended it with 63% of the overall possession, but Acosta’s second goal of the game in the seventy-seventh minute, again setup by Rooney, wrapped up an impressive 3-1 win for DC United.

Atlanta United are just one point behind Eastern Conference leaders New York Red Bulls and have a game in hand over their rivals, making Saturday’s visitors many people’s favourites to return to the number one spot in the coming weeks. Colorado sit four points behind third from bottom Houston Dynamo and won’t claim any places in the table even if they do managed to beat Atlanta United this weekend.

We’re confident that Atlanta will pick up all three points on Saturday and have backed the visitors to win 2-0 against Colorado Rapids. Atlanta United have won four of their last six matches, while Colorado Rapids have lost their last three games in the MLS and failed to score on each occasion. Atlanta United won the only previous meetings between the two teams and kept a clean sheet in the process and we’re expecting more of the same on Saturday.