Matt Wells believes the Colorado Rapids are “changing the status quo” in MLS, as they prepare to travel to Los Angeles FC on Wednesday.
The Rapids have alternated between wins and losses across their last six matches, falling to a narrow 3-2 defeat to Inter Miami last time out.
Colorado sit eighth in the Western Conference after that defeat, but they could make moves up the table if they do return to winning ways against LAFC.
Though they lost last time out, Wells was impressed with the Rapids’ performance in front of a 75,000-strong crowd, and he is excited to see what they can do this season.
“[The game against Inter Miami] was special,” Wells said. “What the guys produced out there, how dominant we were in the game, I thought Miami had no solutions.
“The biggest source of pride for me is that we’re changing the status quo in this division, and that we, the Colorado Rapids, can be the dominant team on the football pitch; we can be the protagonist out there.
“So, I’m really pleased in that respect, and we’ll stick to our process and keep looking to improve.”
LAFC went unbeaten in their first six matches this season, but have since lost their last two matches, including a heavy 4-1 thrashing at the hands of the San Jose Earthquakes at the weekend.
They have now conceded six goals across their last two matches, having started the campaign with six straight shutouts, but head coach Marc Dos Santos believes the loss to San Jose was just an off day.
“It was our worst game, in my opinion, our worst game this season defensively,” he said. “When we pressed, we were disjointed. We were not close to each other.
“It wasn’t LAFC. It wasn’t us.”
Unmatched Mile High support today#Rapids96 pic.twitter.com/OBwlBdFFws
— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) April 19, 2026
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Los Angeles FC – Son Heung-min
Son was involved in six (five shots, one chance created) of LAFC’s 16 shots on Sunday.
He has been involved in 108 shots (59 shots, 49 chances created) in his MLS career – only Lionel Messi (157 – 106 shots, 51 chances created) has been involved in more since the former Tottenham captain debuted last August.
Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro
Navarro recorded his 10th goal contribution of the season (six goals, four assists) on Saturday, scoring against Inter Miami.
All 10 of Navarro’s goal contributions have come in his last six games, the second player in Rapids history to record 10 goal contributions in a six-game span (Djordje Mihailovic in 2024).
MATCH PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES FC WIN
Los Angeles FC have won all nine of their home matches against Colorado in all competitions, outscoring the Rapids 25-2 in those meetings.
LAFC have kept clean sheets in each of their last six home matches against Colorado, last allowing a goal against them at BMO Stadium in May 2021.
After opening the regular season with four straight shutout wins at home, LAFC lost 4-1 to San Jose on Sunday. They had allowed just four goals in their previous nine home MLS matches (including playoffs) before conceding four to the Earthquakes on Sunday.
There have been at least five goals scored in five of the Rapids’ last six MLS matches (four in the other), with a total of 32 goals scored in those six games (5.3 per match). The only team this century with more combined goals in their first eight matches of a season than Colorado (36) was LAFC in 2020 (37).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Los Angeles FC – 66.8%
Draw – 18.2%
Colorado Rapids – 15%
