FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids – MLS, April 17, 2021

There was very little between Dallas and Colorado last year, with the Rapids finishing the regular season on 1.56 points per game and the Texans averaging 1.55. Interestingly, both teams ended up with a +4 goal difference, too.

The two sides open their 2021 MLS accounts on Saturday, April 17, as Dallas welcomes Colorado to Toyota Stadium.

If you’re looking for my FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids prediction, keep reading. I analyze the bookies’ odds before sharing my pick for Saturday’s clash.

10bet favors FC Dallas to come out on top this weekend, although the high price for the home win indicates that Colorado is likely to give Luchi Gonzalez’s men a run for their money.

At first glance, the tasty odds for the draw and the away win stand out to me. Before we get to my FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids betting pick, let’s take a closer look at the teams.

If Dallas’ pre-season results are anything to go by, the Texans look set to hit the ground running when the new MLS campaign gets underway.

The Toros played six games across late March and early April, picking up six wins for their troubles. As well as beating four USL Championship sides, Dallas edged out Austin FC on penalties before crushing Houston Dynamo 3-0.

Gonzalez’s men only managed to score 28 goals in 22 regular-season matches, finishing as the Western Conference’s fourth-lowest scorers. But they have been hitting the back of the net for fun in the lead-up to the new season.

Following a slow start to 2020, Dallas’s campaign gathered momentum and eventually ended in the Conference Semifinals. Anything less than a top-six finish will be viewed as a failure this year.

Let’s not forget that Dallas thrashed Colorado 4-1 last season. However, Santiago Mosquera – who bagged a hat-trick on that occasion – is no longer at the club.

It could be argued that September’s thrashing at the hands of the Toros gave Colorado a much-needed kick up the backside. After losing to Dallas, the Rapids went on to win five of their final seven regular-season games and ended 2020 on a high.

Despite falling to Minnesota United at the first postseason hurdle, Robin Fraser would have been proud of his players’ efforts, especially when you consider that Colorado was hit hard by the pandemic last term.

As a result of the health crisis, the Rapids played four games less than Dallas last season. But they still managed to score more goals and only recorded one less win.

Young guns Jonathan Lewis and Cole Bassett both scored five goals in 2020, with the latter also contributing five assists. Alongside fellow rising stars like Andre Shinyashiki and Sam Vines, Lewis and Bassett are destined for another successful year.

The Rapids may have suffered a hefty defeat to Dallas last time around, but their recent record in this fixture isn’t bad. In fact, they have only lost two of their previous six meetings with the Toros – sealing two wins and two draws along the way.

Call me crazy – but I’m going against the bookies on this occasion. The Rapids ended the previous campaign in red-hot form, and I’m backing them to pick up where they left off last term. Plus, odds of 3.25 are very attractive.

I expect Gonzalez’s men to enjoy another steady year, although I can see them struggling to score goals again. Ultimately, a lack of cutting edge in attack could easily cost Dallas three points on Saturday.