We’re approaching Matchday 6 of the MLS NEXT Pro season, and your Twos have one more stop on their season-starting road challenge. This weekend’s matchup takes them to the Centennial State to face Colorado Rapids 2 in a match that, on paper, offers them a fantastic opportunity to come home next week with an even record and positive momentum.
Through their first five games, MNUFC2 have earned a pair of wins and three losses. They’ve struggled to find goals after that impressive 4-2 win against Austin in the season-opener, and the loss of Momoh Kamara’s commanding presence in the midfield has certainly been felt since he went on loan to IF Elfsborg in Sweden. Despite the struggles up front, though, this side has managed to be competitive in just about every game they’ve played in 2026, as each of their last three matches have been decided by just a single goal.
For Colorado, the story is somewhat similar — with an unlucky edge. Rapids 2 are fresh off of their second shootout loss of the season, and have yet to win a game. Though they’ve found the back of the net in every game they’ve played, they’ve conceded at least two goals every time out thus far, making points incredibly difficult to come by.
Both sides have now played five games total, with MNUFC2 sitting in eleventh place in the Western Conference on six points and Rapids 2 at the bottom of the pile in fourteenth with just two points. This early in the season, the table is still very crowded, meaning that just a handful of positive results in a row could drastically change the outlook for either side. This weekend’s result could very well prove to be the momentum boost — or deflator — that defines the crucial middle part of these team’s seasons.
While Colorado will be hoping to improve their defending, both squads will be turning to their forwards to find the goals to secure three points. The leading scorers for each club are tied at three goals apiece this season, with MNUFC’s Marcus Caldeira and Colorado’s Donavan Phillip sharing very similar stat lines and stories thus far. Both occupy Supplemental Slots on their respective first teams, both are MLS SuperDraft products, and both are impressing during their time with their MLSNP sides in 2026.
Phillip and Caldeira aren’t the only players to watch for in this matchup, though. MNUFC2 midfielder Sam Vigilante has played every minute of action for the Twos in 2026, making his presence felt as a true box-to-box option. His midfield partner Alpha Kabia has only missed two minutes of action, and has earned time with the Sierra Leone national team as a reward for his consistent, high-level efforts. With new faces beginning to emerge, familiar players further establishing themselves, and some Academy stars continuing to show the continued development of the MNUFC talent pool, it’s an increasingly exciting time to watch the Twos.
Sunday’s match is scheduled to kickoff at 7:00 p.m. CT, with streaming available on MLSNEXTPro.com. Don’t miss this final of six consecutive road matches, and get ready for the first home game of the season at Allianz Field the following Sunday, April 26.
