Tensions Rise as Colorado Rapids Face Haunting History Against Real Salt Lake

Ejsportsmedia | Dante Williams

The weather in Commerce City will be heating up this Saturday, as the Colorado Rapids face their archrivals, Real Salt Lake (RSL), in the first 2025 Rocky Mountain Cup confrontation at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. This match, one of Major League Soccer’s (MLS) most historic rivalries, finds both teams in a period of instability, though recent memories—good and bad—will fuel their competitive fire. The Rapids, defending champions of the Rocky Mountain Cup, are looking to replicate last year’s dominance and hold onto the cup, while RSL aims to reclaim control of a series they have historically dominated for over a decade.

The Rapids, after an encouraging start to the 2025 season, have faced mounting concerns in recent weeks. Despite remaining unbeaten until mid-April, Colorado has struggled in their past two outings, including a disappointing 2-0 loss to San Diego. The team’s offensive struggles and loss of self-confidence have raised doubts, even in their home stadium. However, recent history against RSL gives the Rapids hope. They finished 2024 with two wins and one loss against their rivals, including a significant 3-2 comeback victory in July. Additionally, Cole Bassett, a standout in last season’s series with one goal and an assist in each match, provides an extra spark for Colorado. The Rapids’ advantage is further solidified by the fact that, by the rules of the Rocky Mountain Cup, they only need to secure one victory or two draws from the two series matchups in 2025 to retain the trophy. A win on Saturday would go a long way toward securing their second consecutive Cup victory.

On the other hand, Real Salt Lake enters this match with its own set of challenges. Sitting just two points behind Colorado in the standings with 20 points, RSL has had only two wins in their last nine matches. Although the team’s defense has shown resilience, they have been far too reliant on Diego Luna, who has contributed seven goals in twelve games this season. Luna’s impressive form has kept RSL afloat, but the team has struggled to produce offense beyond him. Their defense, while solid, has failed to translate into exciting victories. Moreover, RSL’s away form has been less than stellar, with just two road wins in 2025 and a poor record at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. Their last win in Colorado came in October 2023, when Luna scored the only goal of the match, but that victory now feels like a distant memory. For RSL to stand any chance of reclaiming the Cup, Luna’s leadership and goal-scoring ability will need to shine through, and their away performances will need to improve significantly.

The rivalry’s unique rules add another layer of tension to the 2025 series. With the series reduced to only two games, Colorado only needs to win once or draw both matches to retain the Rocky Mountain Cup. For RSL to take the trophy back, they must win the series—meaning they must accumulate more points across both games. This makes the Saturday match in Colorado even more critical, as it could decide the fate of the Cup before the second leg in Utah on October 4. Historically, RSL has dominated the Rocky Mountain Cup, with a 15-3 record in the last 18 encounters and a total of 30 wins compared to just 17 losses over the past 20 years. Despite this, Colorado managed to break RSL’s dominance last year, providing a much-needed spark to the rivalry. Their memorable 3-2 road win in July 2024 remains fresh in the minds of both teams’ fans, and it has set the stage for an exciting and unpredictable rematch. Interestingly, despite all the heated matchups, the two teams have never met in the playoffs, but the intensity of the rivalry makes this regular-season clash feel like a playoff game.

As the Rapids look to defend their title and RSL aims to assert their historical dominance, Saturday’s Rocky Mountain Cup clash promises to be a thrilling encounter, one that could ignite a fierce battle for supremacy in the MLS standings. Whether Colorado can hold onto their cup or RSL will rise to the occasion remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the rivalry is alive and well.