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US: MLS Preview- Colorado Rapids v Real Salt Lake [Wed Sep 21st, 2005]
Colorado Rapids (9-13-4, 31 pts) v Real Salt Lake (5-17-4, 19 pts)
When: 9:30pm EST, Wednesday, September 21st, 2005
Where: Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
Colorado welcome Real Salt Lake to Denver for the second match of the Rocky Mountain Cup, and if that’s not enough of a reason to attend, it’s also “Rapids Oktoberfestâ€!
Amidst all of the transfers and changes last week, Colorado and their new faces got shut out 2-0 in DC, but of course chemistry takes some time. Jovan Kirovski and Diego Serna were added for the playoffs, now is the time to make themselves familiar.
The ‘Pids will be without 2004 Goalkeeper of the Year Joe Cannon due to an abdominal strain, so Byron Foss will get his first start of the season.
Despite being without Jason Kries and Clint Mathis on Sunday, Salt Lake gave it the old college try in Dallas, but came up short in a 2-1 loss. If not for the effort of RSL’s late season additions Melvin Tarley and Robert Scarlett, it’d probably be a month since this team scored a goal.
With Mathis back with the team after missing the past week due to personal reasons, all eyes will be on him to carry the load for the injured Kries. Regardless, the streak of six straight losses is a hard one to stop without your leading scorer.
Every match the Rapids play from here on out is worth a watch with the players they added last week. Since San Jose has been the only consistent team out West, the ‘Pids could really shake things up if they could sneak into the third playoff spot.
And with three matches remaining against lowly Salt Lake, anything is possible. Real Salt Lake shouldn’t be much of a challenge for them, but then again, any team with Clint Mathis can never be counted out.
Either way, Colorado’s defence should be more than capable of stopping a team that scores fewer than a goal a game, the league’s worst attacking record.
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