R2 will open the MLS Next Pro season against Sporting KC II for the second-straight year
Colorado Rapids 2 will face a familiar foe to open the 2023 MLS Next Pro season.
The reserve team announced their home opener in a press release on Tuesday, confirming that the side will challenge Sporting KC II on Sunday, March 26 at 7 PM MST at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
The fixture be the second-straight R2 regular season opener against Sporting’s backup squad. In 2022, Rapids 2 played their first-ever MLS Next Pro match against SKC II at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. Manager Erik Bushey led the side to a 1-1 regulation draw in that match thanks to a goal from Yosuke Hanya assisted by Dantouma Toure, and R2 went on to win the post-game shootout 4-2 to earn an additional bonus point.
Colorado’s young squad didn’t fare too well in their subsequent outings against SKC II in 2022, as the Kansas-based team went on to win their next two matches against R2 outright by a combined score of 5-0.
Rapids 2 still has work to do in preseason before they seek revenge on the Sporks, but their preparations so far have shown positive improvement from last year. R2 hasn’t yet tasted defeat in any of their scrimmages so far, including outings against New England Revolution II from MLS Next Pro, MLS’s CF Montréal, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC of the USL Championship, and the University of Denver.
The reserves will wrap up their preseason friendlies with scrimmages against USL League One’s Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC and the Air Force Academy ahead of the opener.
Fans can purchase $5 tickets for the home opener directly from the team’s Ticketmaster page.