(Photo credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images)

Austin FC will look to their home pitch for an advantage as they host the Colorado Rapids on Saturday in a Western Conference match.

The Verde (1-1-0, 3 points) head home on the heels of a 1-0 loss in Portland on March 1. Austin looked as if it would split the points before surrendering a set-piece goal to the Timbers in the 89th minute.

Austin has found the net just once in its first two matches after finishing the 2024 season last in the West in goals with 39.

'Even though you do all the right things, as we as we did against Portland, you can win it or not,' Austin coach Nico Estevez said Thursday. 'What the data is telling us and our feeling is telling us is that we're going in the right direction. It's just about being more connected, to be (working) on other things in other areas, and grow on those.

'The season is very, very young,' Estevez added. 'We are new staff. We have a lot of new players. The best thing that you can see is, after a win or a loss, we have to build the mood in order to approach the next game with the best energy.'

The Rapids (0-0-2, 2 points) are coming off a 3-3 home draw with FC Dallas on March 1. Rafael Navarro scored twice, with his tally in the 72nd minute proving the equalizer. Keegan Rosenberry also found the net, with Oliver Larraz recording two assists.

'We're excited for the weekend ahead to test ourselves again,' Colorado coach Chris Armas said of the matchup with Austin. 'In the games so far, we've had really good opponents, and we believe when we put it all together, we're going to be hard to beat.

'We've enjoyed the training, working on some things, getting guys healthy, and we're excited.'

The Rapids have already played four matches this season, two in MLS and a pair in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Colorado owns a 4-3 lead in the all-time series with Austin, with two draws. The teams split their matches last season, with each winning on its home pitch.

--Field Level Media