New England Revolution v Colorado Rapids: Visitors must keep high standards, says Armas

Colorado Rapids head coach Chris Armas wants his side to keep their standards high after they strengthened their playoff ambitions with a win over the LA Galaxy in midweek. 

Djordje Mihailovic and Calvin Harris got on the scoresheet as the 2-0 victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Rapids.

Armas' side are now ninth in the Western Conference but just one point behind fifth-placed San Jose Earthquakes.

Armas said the 11-day break between matches benefitted his side, but they must now keep their standards at this level.

"It was renewed energy from key guys as well," said Armas. "The group came back. They all knew that it was a tough opponent coming in that's also looking for points. A team that got the better of us last year. So, you never quite know how it can go.

"I thought the guys really stepped on the field with the right mentality, I thought we set the team up the right way, and, like my father always said, ‘you guarantee nothing in life, you have to earn it. You have to earn it.’ I think the guys earned three points tonight, but yes, the energy was there.

"I think we saw an energetic team in the first half, and we have to bottle that up and that should be our standard."

Colorado now turn their attention to the New England Revolution, who are struggling in the Eastern Conference.

The Revolution are currently 11th in the league, but two points off a playoff spot with two games in hand on the team in ninth.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

New England Revolution – Tomas Chancalay

Chancalay had both a goal and an assist in the same MLS game for the first time in his career in Wednesday's defeat to Nashville SC.

It was the first time a Revolution player had a goal and an assist in a loss in the regular season since LuIs Caicedo and Diego Fagundez did so in the same loss to the Galaxy in July 2018, and he will be hoping to be on the winning side this time around. 

Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic

Mihailovic scored Colorado's opening goal against LA Galaxy on Wednesday, his eighth of the season, all coming since March 29.

Colorado have scored 14 times in that span, with Mihailovic scoring (eight) or assisting (one) on nine of those goals.

MATCH PREDICTION – NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION WIN

Colorado are winless in their last five MLS away matches (D1 L4), including losing the last three in a row. The Rapids last had a longer road losing streak from May to October 2023, when they lost nine straight league matches away from home.

On home soil this season, New England have secured seven points from a possible 21 on offer in seven MLS contests. 

In their last six league matches, New England have won one, drawn three and lost two. Colorado, meanwhile, have won three and lost three of their last six.

This will be the 49th all-time meeting between New England and Colorado, all of which have been in the regular season. The only MLS fixture to have seen more games played without any being in the playoffs or U.S. Open Cup is FC Dallas against San Jose (76).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

New England Revolution – 47.6%

Draw – 26.1%

Colorado Rapids – 26.3%