June is here, so Rapids fans can easily shove away a pointless May and focus on moving forward. Today’s match against Vancouver could be a small spark in which could ignite a positive point streak for the Burgundy Boys.

The Vancouver Whitecaps come to Colorado having drew their last four games, and the last two games took late rallies for VFC to bag a point. From a distance, it looks like a team that is struggling a little. Meanwhile, the Colorado Rapids are sitting on a six-game losing skid. Vancouver sits in 7th place with 17 points—9 ahead of Colorado, who are tied with Seattle with 8 points. The Rapids failed to get three points against the Whitecaps in all three games they played last year, drawing once and losing twice.

It can be difficult to get the fans and supporters pumped up for a game when your team is paddling a canoe on dirt, but the shoreline isn’t too far away. I think we’ll see Johan Blomberg back in the starting lineup, and Kortne Ford and Marlon Hairston are both really close. If both of them get some minutes or even the start, the odds of a Rapids win have significantly improved.

As for guys on the other team who the Rapids should worry about, Cristian Techera netted a hat-trick last week as he has proven to be a difficult winger to mark. Kei Kamara and Brek Shea have both done damage to the Rapids, both away and at home.

Those who have been paying attention to the referees should know that tonight Colorado’s favorite, Baldomero Toledo, will be the center of the show. I mean center referee.

This is the first of four games in 14 days, so lineups could get a bit jumbled as the Burgundy Boys prepare for the dog days of summer and a bulkier schedule. They also will benefit from none of their players getting called up for international duty so far, and it seems as though the team as a whole is getting healthier as well.

Predicted starting XI: Tim Howard, Kortne Ford, Axel Sjoberg, Tommy Smith, Nana Boateng, Enzo Martinez, Jack Price, Johan Blomberg, Edgar Castillo, Dominique Badji, Shkelzen Gashi

Injuries/Suspensions

Colorado

OUT: D - Kortne Ford (left MCL sprain), D - Marlon Hairston (right knee surgery)

SUSPENDED: N/A

SUSPENDED AFTER NEXT CAUTION: F - Dominique Badji

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: N/A

Vancouver

OUT: GK - Stefan Marinovic (left knee sprain)

QUESTIONABLE: M - Jordon Mutch (right hamstring strain)

SUSPENDED: N/A

SUSPENDED AFTER NEXT CAUTION: D - Kendall Waston

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: D - Kendall Waston (Costa Rica)

How to Watch

Match Date/Time: Friday, June 1st at 7pm MST

Venue: Dicks Sporting Goods Park—Commerce City, CO

TV Information: AltitudeTV

Radio: Altitude950

Live Stream: ESPN+ (subscription required)

C38: Tailgate starts @4pm