KC Reporter

Sporting Kansas City will face the Colorado Rapids at Children's Mercy Park on Saturday, August 30, with kickoff scheduled for 7:40 p.m. CT. The match marks a rematch of the teams' first-ever MLS meeting in April 1996 and is available to watch via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and listen to locally on Sports Radio 810 WHB and 103.7 FM.

Tickets for the game are being sold through SeatGeek, with college students able to purchase discounted $15 Supporters' Stand tickets through the Sporting U Pass program. Fans can also buy new merchandise, including an E-Sports theme top that players will wear during warm-ups as part of Major League Soccer's Pixels to Pitch initiative. Additional items such as a gaming scarf and themed T-shirt are available for gameday pickup from SportingStyle.

The Rapids have been Sporting KC's most frequent opponent, with the clubs having met 91 times across all competitions. Sporting holds a record of 31 regular season wins against Colorado, their highest total against any team. In their most recent meeting on July 4, Sporting won 2-1 in Colorado behind John Pulskamp’s career-high eight saves. Erik Thommy contributed to both goals in that match but has missed the last six games due to injury; he is expected to return for Saturday’s fixture.

Sporting Kansas City will be without Designated Player Manu Garcia due to a quad injury. The Rapids travel without Josh Atencio (knee), Reggie Cannon (suspension), and Kimani Stewart-Baynes (ankle). Since their last encounter, Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen has returned from injury; this season, the Rapids have allowed more shots (433) and shots on target (159) than any other MLS team. Rafael Navarro leads Colorado’s attack with nine goals and three assists in his last twelve matches.

Colorado's roster has changed significantly during the summer transfer window, adding six new players while seeing six depart—including high earners Chidozie Awaziem, Djordje Mihailovic, and Kevin Cabral. New arrivals include Lucas Herrington from Australia, Alexis Manyoma from Colombia, Paxten Aaronson from the United States Men's National Team pool, Brazilian left back Rafael Santos via trade from Orlando City, and English defender Rob Holding—who previously played for Arsenal in England’s Premier League.

Currently seventh in the Western Conference with six games left in the regular season, Colorado is managed by Chris Armas—a former teammate of Sporting KC interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin on the U.S. Men’s National Team. The two coaches faced each other as players in the 2000 MLS Cup final when Zavagnin’s Kansas City side defeated Armas’ Chicago Fire.

Fans can attend official watch parties at No Other Pub in downtown Kansas City or view broadcasts at participating venues within the Sporting Pub Network.