Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake renew one of Major League Soccer’s most heated regional rivalries Saturday, with the Rocky Mountain Cup hanging in the balance at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Both teams enter the Matchday 23 Walmart Saturday Showdown tied on 28 points, though Colorado sit above RSL in the Western Conference table via the wins tiebreaker.
The Rapids saw their three-game winning streak snapped last weekend in a 3-0 defeat at San Diego FC. But home has been a fortress since the FIFA World Cup break: four consecutive victories at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park without conceding a single goal. That run has also seen the departure of 18-year-old Australian center back Lucas Herrington, who completed a club-record transfer to English Premier League side Hull City for a reported fee of up to $23 million — the largest ever paid for an outgoing MLS defender.
Real Salt Lake, meanwhile, are desperate to turn their fortunes around after a midweek 3-0 Leagues Cup quarterfinal loss to Club León on the same pitch. That defeat extended RSL’s skid to three games across all competitions, following one-goal setbacks against FC Dallas and Orlando City. Adding to the uncertainty, Zavier Gozo recently left for UEFA Conference League champions Crystal Palace in a $15 million club-record transfer, leaving a creative void in midfield.
RSL won the previous meeting between the sides this season, 2-1 at home, and hold a 14-7 advantage all-time in the rivalry. A win for RSL Saturday would reclaim the trophy for the first time since 2023. Current holders Colorado, aiming for a fifth straight home victory, will have other ideas. Meanwhile, betting markets give Colorado a 48% chance, RSL 28%, and a draw 25%, according to insights shared Thursday.
