SOCCER: Rapids visit Toronto FC for clash with former coach

There will be reunions on both sides of the pitch when the Colorado Rapids visit Toronto FC on Saturday afternoon.

Last week, Toronto traded defender Kosi Thompson to the Rapids for up to $400,000 in General Allocation Money.

"The thing I love about Kosi is his versatility," Colorado coach Matt Wells said. "He's played a lot of different positions. Watching him, he has the attributes we need. He's incredible in the duels, he has incredible defensive intensity and aggression."

Second-year Toronto coach Robin Fraser will face his former club. Fraser coached Colorado for four seasons from 2019-23 and led the Rapids to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2020-21.

Both teams last played on March 21 and were off last weekend due to international competitions. Colorado (3-2-0, nine points) cruised to a 4-1 win at Sporting Kansas City, while Toronto (2-2-1, seven points) posted a 2-1 home win over the Columbus Crew.

"It was important to get a rest period," Wells said. "I am a firm believer in that rest period coming right after the game. But the boys got their four days off. That's done. They've got their rest and recovery. ... It's all eyes on Toronto now."

Jose Cifuentes and Walker Zimmerman scored for Toronto against the Crew.

Daniel Salloi leads Toronto with two goals and has one assist. The Reds have only scored six goals this season while the opposition has tallied eight.

Fraser said he wasn't surprised at who scored goals last match.

"Throughout the run of play opportunities will fall to different guys," he said. "When you have players competent in different parts of the field, you don't think of (Cifuentes) as a goal scorer, but he's a very good striker of the ball. When he's in position to score a goal, though, he takes it and does very well with it.

"I have no idea how many goals Walker has scored off a header in this league, but I feel like I've seen that picture many, many times."

Meanwhile, Colorado has scored 11 goals -- third most in the Western Conference table -- and allowed just seven shots to find the back of their net.

Rafael Navarro leads the Rapids with three goals and three assists. Paxten Aaronson and Darren Yapi are the other top scoring threats and each have racked up two goals and two assists.

"We are pleased to score goals," Wells said. "We are an attacking team. But we want more clean sheets as well. We want to be world class in everything."

-Field Level Media/Reuters