Sporting Kansas City is preparing to face the Colorado Rapids after a devastating 5-2 loss to the Seattle Sounders. Interim coach Kerry Zavagnin is considering tactical changes to improve the team’s performance. Key players to watch include Dejan Joveljic for Sporting KC and Sam Vines for the Colorado Rapids. Despite their recent struggles, Sporting KC is predicted to win due to their home advantage and past victories against Colorado.
Sporting Kansas City, reeling from a heavy 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Seattle Sounders, is set to face the Colorado Rapids this Saturday. Interim coach Kerry Zavagnin is under pressure to make tactical adjustments as the team languishes in 13th place in the Western Conference standings. The gap to the play-in spots is a daunting 11 points, with only seven regular-season games remaining, while automatic playoff qualification seems even more distant, sitting 12 points away.
Zavagnin emphasized the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the squad, focusing not just on formations but on the fundamental aspects of defending, possession, and efficient attacking. "A formation at the end of the day is just four numbers put together," he stated. "It’s how we defend the goal, it’s how we possess the ball and make efficient attacks going forward… that’s what a balanced team is and that’s what a complete team is." He acknowledged the team's struggles in achieving this balance throughout the season but reiterated that the approach remains consistent regardless of the previous result. "Whether you lose 5-2 or you win 3-0, it doesn’t really matter. You try to get better starting Tuesday to get ready for the next opponent."
Adding intrigue to the narrative, a tweet from the Colorado Rapids showcased the team's intense training session, hinting at their readiness for the upcoming clash.
.@K_J_Rose didn’t have to go this hard at training #Rapids96 pic.twitter.com/BTIe7wHTsz
— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) August 28, 2025
The Colorado Rapids, currently holding the seventh spot in the Western Conference, are on track for a playoff berth. Despite a recent 3-0 defeat to the LA Galaxy, Chris Armas’ squad had previously secured consecutive victories against Minnesota United and Atlanta United, demonstrating their capability to compete at a high level.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sporting KC – Dejan Joveljic
Dejan Joveljic stands out as Sporting KC’s primary offensive threat, having scored 14 goals in MLS this season – a minimum of eight more than any other player on the team. He also leads the team in shots (51) and shots on target (30), although he was kept quiet in the match against Seattle.
Colorado Rapids – Sam Vines
Sam Vines showcased exceptional passing accuracy in the game against the LA Galaxy, completing all 43 of his attempted passes. This performance ranks as the fourth-most passes completed by a Rapids player in a single match since Opta began tracking MLS data in 2010. Since 2018, only Alex Maxso has managed as many completed passes with 100% accuracy for Colorado (46/46 against the San Jose Earthquakes in June 2023).
MATCH PREDICTION – SPORTING KC WIN
Sporting Kansas City holds a recent advantage over Colorado, having won their last two encounters, including a 2-1 victory on July 4. They aim to achieve a third consecutive win against the Rapids for the first time since a four-match streak between 2012 and 2015.
Despite their current four-match losing streak, including the recent 5-2 defeat to Seattle, Sporting KC might find solace in returning home. Since 2020, they’ve only experienced one longer losing run: a 10-match stretch from 2024-2025. Home advantage could prove crucial, especially considering Colorado’s struggles on the road, having won only one of their last 11 away matches in all competitions since April (D3 L7). That win, a 2-1 victory over Minnesota United on August 10, marks the sole occasion during that period in which the Rapids held their opponents to fewer than two goals.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Sporting KC – 40.6%
Colorado Rapids – 32.7%
Draw – 26.6%