Rapids look to keep woeful FC Dallas down

The Colorado Rapids look to build on an encouraging start Saturday night when they host an FC Dallas side that has been among the most disappointing teams in MLS so far.

Colorado (3-2-3, 12 points) is unbeaten in its last three matches and coming off its most decisive victory of the season, a 3-0 win at the spiraling San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday.

Rafael Navarro scored his third and fourth goals of the season to take the team lead. Cole Bassett added his third.

The result for first-year manager Chris Armas is a pace that is already five points in front of last year's squad after as many games.

"For a new staff, half a new team, a very young team to be validated with results away and results at home still early in the season, I can't even put into words how valuable (it is) for us and for me and for the staff or for all of our leaders," said Rapids midfielder Keegan Rosenberry. "It makes our jobs easier to have that validation but also to have it build confidence and we keep building week in and week out."

Meanwhile, Dallas (1-4-2, 5 points) is struggling to live up to the expectation they would again contend for a position in the upper third of the Western Conference table, in part because of a sizable injury wave.

Last year's leading scorer, Jesus Ferreira, has played in only three games and is questionable for Saturday as he is still dealing with a hamstring injury. Midfielder Paxton Pomykal recently underwent season-ending knee surgery. Midfielder Asier Illarramendi has also played only three matches because of injury, though he could be back Saturday.

But after going 0-4-0 in MLS play in March, Dallas has made a very modest recent improvement by earning a pair of scoreless draws, away to St. Louis and then home against the Seattle Sounders last Saturday.

"If you don't score goals, it's difficult," confessed Dallas manager Nico Estevez. "But I see the growth this week and I can see how the team is growing in different areas and different things that we weren't doing before."