Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen has called on his team-mates to make good on the side's excellent 2024 to date and finish the season strongly, starting with Saturday's trip to FC Dallas.

Colorado sit fourth in the Western Conference standings as they resume MLS action after finishing third in the Leagues Cup, beating the Philadelphia Union in the bronze-medal match.

Chris Armas has the Rapids eyeing home advantage in the playoffs in his first year at the helm, and Steffen says it is all about mental strength as they enter the run-in.

"It's been a long month with a lot of games and travel and everything. It's been good to come home and have a full week to look ahead to Dallas," Steffen said.

"It's back to MLS for us now, so we're fully focused on Dallas and making sure we pick up three points on Saturday. 

"We're getting better every day, it's been fun. We have a great group of guys who are hungry to compete and to grow. It's been a great start but now it's about finishing strong."

Dallas, meanwhile, are down in 10th, albeit just one point of Austin FC, who occupy the final play-in spot in the West.

Interim coach Peter Luccin oversaw a thrilling 4-3 victory at D.C. United last time out – Dallas' third win in four regular-season games, and he thinks it could be a major turning point.

"For us to win on the road, it wasn't easy," said Luccin. "We knew that they were going to fight until the end, they fought hard. 

"We need to stay focused. We need to have the same energy. We need to keep playing the football that we have been playing."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Dallas – Sebastian Lletget 

Lletget had a goal and two assists in FC Dallas' win at D.C. United last Saturday, his second career match with three goal contributions in MLS, having also achieved the feat in September 2019 versus Sporting Kansas City.

Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro 

Navarro (11) and Djordje Mihailovic (10) are the second pair of Rapids team-mates to each score 10 goals in a single regular season since 2010, after Kei Kamara and Diego Rubio in 2019).

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW 

Colorado have won five of their seven meetings with Dallas since the start of 2021 (one draw, one defeat), including a 2-1 home win when the sides last faced off on April 20. 

The Rapids had won just five of their previous 24 meetings with Dallas from July 2012 through 2020 (eight draws, 11 defeats).

It appears difficult to split the teams for this one, with Dallas winning three of their last four regular-season matches (one draw), but not inspiring much hope in defence, conceding five times in their last three matches.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Dallas – 39.1%

Colorado Rapids – 34.3%

Draw – 26.6%

The United States scored four unanswered goals in the second half to celebrate their first victory in 2022 CONCACAF World Cup qualifying with a 4-1 rout of Honduras.

CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League champions the USA had drawn their opening two fixtures on the road to Qatar 2022 but goals from Antonee Robinson, Ricardo Pepi, Brenden Aaronson and Sebastian Lletget kick-started their campaign.

After cancelling out Bryan Moya's 27th-minute opener, the USA are third in the Octagonal standings, level on five points with Canada and Panama, and two points behind leaders Mexico.

Honduras went into the match having not beaten the USA since their 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory in 2013.

But Honduras took the lead approaching the half-hour mark thanks to a diving Moya, who glanced a header beyond USA goalkeeper Matthew Turner on Wednesday.

The USA lacked any real purpose or drive in the first half, but they emerged with renewed vigour in the second half – the visitors restoring parity within three minutes courtesy of Robinson's volley following a goal-mouth scramble.

Never in the USA's history had they drawn three consecutive matches – dating back to 1916 – and avoided doing so as teenage sensation Pepi's header gave the visitors a 2-1 lead with 15 minutes remaining.

Aaronson put the result beyond doubt in the 86th minute before Lletget's goal in the third minute of stoppage time sealed a 12th successive game without defeat under Gregg Berhalter.