Union-Rapids predictions: Another potential trap game after a long trip

Union manager Curtin knows the difference between a team that's praiseworthy and one that's actually good. The Colorado Rapids are starting to show it this year, too.

Chris Donovan (center) finally scored his first Union goal in Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup loss at Minnesota United.Read morePhiladelphia Union

by Jonathan Tannenwald

Published May 13, 2023, 5:00 a.m. ET

Union manager Jim Curtin spent much of his news conference this week praising his Colorado counterpart Robin Fraser for his work in his fourth season with the Rapids. Fraser deserves it, and not just because his team hasn’t lost since mid-March. He has long been one of the most under-respected coaches in MLS, and notably one of the only Black coaches in a league that historically has had very few of them.

But there’s a difference between being praiseworthy and being good. Though Colorado is on a nine-game unbeaten streak, six of those games have been ties. Of the wins, two have been against woeful opponents in Sporting Kansas City and the Los Angeles Galaxy, and one was at second-division Sacramento Republic this past Tuesday in the U.S. Open Cup.

Curtin knows the difference between praiseworthy and good amply well. Last year, the Union were praiseworthy until they got really good; this year, they’ve been praised as really good but often haven’t played like it.

Is that starting to change now? It’s hard to see the Union’s three-game regular-season unbeaten streak between the disappointing losses to LAFC and Minnesota United. But here are some stats that come through more clearly. The Union have played 10 regular season games so far, scored 15 goals, and conceded 13. The Rapids have played 11, scored nine, and conceded 12.

The Union, for all their fans’ laments, are 12th in the Supporters’ Shield standings out of the league’s 29 teams. With a win and other favorable results (though the parlay is unlikely), they could end the weekend as high as ninth. The Rapids are 23rd.

The key players to watch are Colorado’s Kévin Cabral and Michael Barrios; and the Union’s Chris Donovan, who finally, mercifully, scored a goal in his 14th game for the Union’s first team. If he scores another, the Union are in for a good night. And if Curtin has enough depth on hand to not need him, it might be an even better one.

I was wrong again with my last prediction. I might be with this one too, because Curtin left Alejandro Bedoya and Jakob Glesnes at home for the Open Cup game to prepare for this weekend. The Union should win, but this game feels like one where the Rapids will have something to prove.

I’ll never be as good at being wrong as retired Inquirer columnist Bob Ford was — and if you’re new here, read his legendary annual “Corrections” columns so you know that’s high praise.

Bob was also one of the best chroniclers of soccer The Inquirer has known. We regret that he shared his elite professional cynicism with generations of thankful colleagues.

Prediction: Union 1, Rapids 1.