Philadelphia Union vs Colorado Rapids Prediction: Philadelphia gets third place

Analysis and prediction for the Leagues Cup 3rd place match between Philadelphia Union and Colorado Rapids at the Subaru Park, Chester on the 25th of August 2024.

The Union have been strong all Leagues Cup long, showing a ton of resilience and tactical flexibility. But their path to the third-place match was set by a semifinal loss, one that gut-punched and was very tight. Prior to that, they were riding off impressive wins against both an MLS and a Liga MX team. They have been pegged to a strong defensive block and a kinetic midfield that displays the best in transition football. Their recent Leagues Cup matches have been a mix of both dominant performances and narrow escapes. They have been consistent at finding the back of the net—on many occasions, quick breaks and getting along the width of the pitch to stretch defenses.

The Rapids have gone on a surprising run into the latter stages of the Leagues Cup. Known for being underdogs, they have upset more than a few stronger teams along the way and shown a gritty attitude of never-say-die. Their semifinal loss was less about tactical naivety and more about missed opportunities and lapses in concentration at crucial moments. This tournament has seen them find different gears, however, where they have only needed counter-attacking football and set-pieces to grind through despite all their struggles in the regular MLS season. In the case of the Rapids, results have been more erratic, with narrow victories and the occasional blowout. They have just kept the games tight, capitalizing on mistakes by the opposition. The bedrock of defensive stability has supported them, even though it has shown cracks under pressure.

Historically, this has been a fixture dominated by Philadelphia Union, especially at home. The Rapids have had very little joy coming into the Union's home ground. At neutral venues or in knockout settings, that gap closed a bit with the Rapids more competitive in recent encounters.

Given Philadelphia Union is really going all out and taking possession, one feels this could turn into a clash of styles in this game, while the Rapids will need more caution and a counter-attacking setup. The Union clearly come into this game as favorites due to their consistency and tactical flexibility. But equally, the resilience of the Rapids, coupled with their ability to go above their expected weight, makes them hard to count out. In the end, though, the Union's quality in the final third and their ability to dictate a tempo of the game ought to see them come out on top amidst what will, at all times, be an extremely closely-fought battle. I do believe Philadelphia edges this one out in a closely contested battle to secure the third spot in the Leagues Cup.

• Philadelphia Union Win and Over 1.5 Goals at 1.85 Odds
• Philadelphia Union Win at 1.73 Odds
• Philadelphia Union Win 2-1 at 8.50 Odds