The Rapids signed Jaime Castrillon this morning, their first major player move of the offseason. As
is typical terms were not released but those will leak out eventually. Castrillon is expected to be
an immediate starter in the midfield, and Pareja has talked recently about playing a 4-3-1 or
4-2-1-3.
The Colorado Rapids are shifting their philosophy after going through a front office and
technical staff overhaul, and that change is spreading to the field as well after the club
announced the signing of Colombian attacking midfielder Jaime Castrillon from Independiente
Medellin.
Changing coaches often means changing playing styles, and the decision to hire Oscar Pareja as
head coach means the Colorado Rapids of 2012 may look quite different from the teams of
2010-11.
Giving Pareja the reins of his first MLS team is going to create a roster shakeup. The
Colombian, a veteran of MLS campaigns from 1998 through 2005, has already talked about the need to
find a Carlos Valderrama-type playmaker for the Rapids.
Colorado spent 3,330 minutes this season defending the 2010 MLS Cup Championship, which put the
team 180 minutes shy of defending its title.
Graham Zusi provided the services in the 28th and 76th minute as Sporting Kansas City recorded
another 2-0 victory over the Rapids, giving KC a 4-0 aggregate win in the Eastern Conference
Semifinal.
Home-and-away series in MLS playoffs tend to play out like the company Christmas party: things
may start out a little slow, stodgy and cautious. But pretty soon furniture is being tipped over,
fights are breaking out, things are gettin' wacky and, by the latter stages, you just don't know
what kind of craziness may claim the night.
Sporting KC are back to business with a quick turnaround as they take on the Colorado Rapids in the
second leg of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park tomorrow. It'll
be interesting to see how Colorado comes out for this game. Three players that started the game in
Colorado are now done for the season, Drew Moor, Caleb Folan, and Kosuke Kimura all left the game
with injuries.
That's Jamie Smith dressed up as the Mad Hatter for Halloween yesterday.Another quick turnaround as the Rapids face the end of their season tomorrow in Kansas City. Down 2
goals Colorado mus win by 2 to force overtime and PKs or 3 to win and move on. On top of the other
problems a storm is rolling into KC tomorrow night (probably the front edge of what's rolling into
Denver tonight) which could make the game sloppy.
Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
The first legs of the conference semifinals over the weekend created four very unenviable hills
to climb.
The Los Angeles Galaxy, the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City all head home to protect
leads while Real Salt Lake, the only winning team taking to the road, has the comfort of a
three-goal cushion.
Teams that can't score don't make it far in the postseason, and the Colorado Rapids are a team
that can't score.
The latest evidence came Sunday evening as the Rapids fell 2-0 to Sporting Kansas City in the
first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Colorado, which edged the Columbus Crew 1-0 in the wild card match on Thursday, couldn't
generate legitimate threats as Sporting spent the evening shoving them around the field.
Teams that can't score don't make it far in the postseason, and the Colorado Rapids are a team
that can't score.
The latest evidence came Sunday evening as the Rapids fell 2-0 to Sporting Kansas City in the
first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Colorado, which edged the Columbus Crew 1-0 in the wild card match on Thursday, couldn't
generate legitimate threats as Sporting spent the evening shoving them around the field.
The Colorado Rapids' uphill battle in the Eastern Conference Semifinals just got tougher.
Kosuke Kimura, Drew Moor and Caleb Folan are all expected to miss extended time after picking up
injuries in the first leg of the home-and-home series against Sporting Kansas City, the Rapids
announced Monday.
Sporting KC kicks off their playoff campaign tomorrow night in Colorado against the Rapids in the
first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals. KC split the season series with the Rapids, drawing
both games 1-1. In the game out in Colorado Conor Casey scored in the 13th minute after a poor back
pass.
A quick turnaround for the Rapids as they are back in action tomorrow. The first leg of the
conference semi-finals sees the SporKC's coming back to town. It will be the final home game of the
season, no matter what happens, so let's go out with a bang. The tailgate starts at 2:30 with
kickoff at 5:30.
The Seattle Sounders enter the MLS playoffs as one of the league's hottest teams, but in order
to find success in the first leg of the Western Conference semifinals, they'll have to do so
without their midfield maestro.
Mauro Rosales has been ruled out of the first leg of the Sounders' series against Real Salt
Lake, according to the Seattle Times.
The Colorado Rapids flew under the radar last season en route to capturing their first MLS Cup
championship.
Despite holding that distinction, the Rapids find themselves in a similar position in 2011. The
defending champions are again quietly still very much alive after defeating the Columbus Crew in
Thursday night's wild card match to advance into the Eastern Conference bracket.
Last night Colorado defeated the Columbus Crew 1-0 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, advancing to face
KC in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. The game will kick off at 6:30 central time Sunday out in
Denver. KC split the season series with Colorado, both on the backs of 1-1 draws. Colorado's goal
scorer in both games was the now injured Conor Casey.
In "the other wild card" game, two offensive lineman type soccer clubs come together, again.
Reigning champs Colorado have swept the flakes off their pitch to host Abercrombie FC, the
Crew(necks.)
Kimura (left), if you didn't know, is Japanese....ironically...
First, some odds:
• 25 to 1: Will Hesmer scores or gets an assist
• 30 to 1: Marvell Wynne, own goal.
Columbus hopes to knock off Colorado tonight. (Getty Images)
I hate being quick with playoff previews but this one will have to end up being the case. Time
has not been on my side today.
Tonight is the second wild card game of the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs. Last night the New York Red
Bulls upset FC Dallas on the road and tonight the Columbus Crew hope to do the same against the
defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids.
The Colorado Rapids kick off defense of the 2010 MLS Cup tonight in conditions reminiscent of
the night the team won the title in Toronto in November.
It will be chilly in Dick's Sporting Goods Park for the 8 p.m. battle with the Columbus Crew.
But there will be plenty of heat on the field for the Rapids.
The Rapids start the playoffs tomorrow night at the Dick against the Columbus Crew. 4 games in the
next 11 days separate them from another trip to MLS Cup. Tomorrow night its simple, win or go home.
There will be 30 minutes and, if necessary, PK's to decide a winner. Of course last year when
Colorado started their run to MLS Cup they did it by beating the Crew in the first round.
The first two games of the MLS postseason are set for Wednesday and Thursday night, with the new
wild card format meaning that for two teams it's win and advance, and for two others it's lose and
go home.
New York and Dallas open the MLS playoffs Wednesday night at Pizza Hut Park in a meeting of two
teams that had serious title aspirations entering the season.
STARTERS
Huge congrats to Helsingborg who won the Swedish Allsvenskan championship on Sunday!
STORY OF THE DAY
Jonathan Wilson of the Guardian today looks at statistical analysis that shows the biggest clubs in
English football have clearly pulled away from everyone else.
The MLS playoff schedule was set late Sunday night (it's down below here).
We'll review with a thorough handicapping later this week, but for now...here's our quick odds,
brief summary and the schedule.
Please lend your voice to the odds and we'll republish on Wednesday or
Thursday:
Evans for Seattle (and previously for Columbus)
TSG's MLS Playoff Odds:
Seattle Sounders: 3 to 1* (pending Rosales injury update)
Los Angeles Galaxy: 4 to 1
Real Salt Lake: 6 to 1
Philadelphia Union: 7 to 1
Sporting KC, FC Dallas: 8 to 1
Colorado Rapids: 10 to 1
Houston Dynamo: 14 to 1
New York Red Bulls, Columbus Crew: 15 to 1
-
TSG's Pick (may change by Thursday): Seattle
TSG Skinny: There are a just few basic things you need to reach the MLS Cup
Finals after journeying through its playoff gauntlet.
The wettest fixture in the league happens tomorrow as the Whitecaps and Rapids face off in the
rainy Pacific Northwest. Its also the final game in what has been a somewhat soggy season for the
Rapids. Colorado has clinched a playoff spot though, and with a win they will clinch home field for
the wild-card round.
Tomorrow its on. Rapids - FSL with the Rocky Mountain Cup on the line! Need I say more?
OK, I will, but only because the tailgate is almost as impressive as the game. About 5 hours from
now the crack Class VI/Pid Army chefs will be arriving at the Dick to start the grill on the
biggest tailgate they've ever done, a full pig roast!
"No disrespect to the Eastern Conference, but tonight was the championship" -- Dallas defensive
midfielder Daniel Hernandez after winning the Western Conference Championship in 2010I just wanted to throw that in as a "friendly" reminder about our guests tomorrow. I expect him to
get the official Class VI welcome for 90 minutes!
The Colorado Rapids looked like a team raising the white flag and giving up on the CONCACAF
Champions League when they fielded a reserve team in a must-win game against Salvadoran side Isidro
Metapan.
At least that was the initial impression. The Rapids reserves had other plans.
Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com
The Colorado Rapids could advance to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League by
winning both of their last two group matches. Even so, it looks like club is throwing in the towel
on its tournament run.
Colorado sent a reserve-heavy squad to face Isidro Metapan in El Salvador for Wednesday's match,
and head coach Gary Smith didn't make the trip, either, instead leaving assistant coach Steve Guppy
to handle the team.
Teams earn a share of the points in a tie, but rarely do they toil for it like the Colorado
Rapids did on Saturday night.
The record book will show that Chris Wondolowski scored an unassisted goal for San Jose in the
18th minute, and Drew Moor delivered an unassisted equalizer in the 71st. What the stats line will
fail to show is the frenzy and oddity on display at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
The last time the Earthquakes were in town the Rapids sent them packing after a crazy goal by Koz
and the trophy celebration to the left sent Colorado to MLS Cup. The stakes aren't quite so high
tomorrow night but if the Rapids have any hopes of repeating they need to repeat the result from
that night to solidify their playoff position.
The last time Colorado was in Toronto they left with their first ever win at BMO Field, and more
importantly, the MLS Cup! Tomorrow they try to make it two in a row North of the border. The Rapids
probably need 1 more win to really assure themselves of a playoff spot and their best chances are
tomorrow and next week when they host San Jose.
Photo by ISIphotos.com
By ADAM SERRANO
Pablo Mastroeni is considering hanging up his boots.
With a long and illustrious resume, the Colorado Rapids captain and former U.S. international
midfielder is thinking about retirement. Mastroeni has been a member of two World Cup squads (2002,
2006) for the U.
Photo by ISIPHOTOS.COM
BY ADAM SERRANO
Pablo Mastroeni is considering hanging up his boots.
With one of the finest resumes of an American player, the Colorado Rapids captain is considering
retirement after the 2011 season. Mastroeni has been a member of two World Cup squads (2002, 2006)
for the U.
The Rapids come off their two week break with a trip to LA to face the Galaxy. It wasn't all rest
though as Ceus, Cummings, Larentowicz, and Nyassi played for their National Teams. Ceus and
Cummings got 2 full games, while Nyassi only had one and Larentowicz was on the bench for one and
got 15 minutes in the second.
Twice Colorado led on Saturday night, and twice Chivas USA came back, eventually claiming a
share of the points at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Goals from Caleb Folan and Jeff Larentowicz, both clinical strikes, were countered by the
visiting Goats, who exploited the few openings they found on the night.
Twice Colorado led on Saturday night, and twice Chivas USA came back, eventually claiming a
share of the points at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Goals from Caleb Folan and Jeff Larentowicz, both clinical strikes, were countered by the
visiting Goats, who exploited the few openings they found on the night.
After a successful Champions League match in mid-week the Rapids are once again back in MLS play
which the Under-a-Chivas coming to town. Along with the game Class VI and the Pid Army are holding
their second annual home brew contest! Tailgate starts at 4pm and all are welcome to sample the
entries and vote for your favorite.
At 10:35 p.m. on Saturday, Colorado Rapids fans got a funny feeling. It's called satisfaction
and it came in the form of a 2-1 win over the stumbling San Jose Earthquakes.
It was satisfying because it was the sort of game the Rapids should win, but the team has
stumbled to get earlier this season and at many times in the past three or four years.
At 10:35 p.m. on Saturday, Colorado Rapids fans got a funny feeling. It's called satisfaction
and it came in the form of a 2-1 win over the stumbling San Jose Earthquakes.
It was satisfying because it was the sort of game the Rapids should win, but the team has
stumbled to get earlier this season and at many times in the past three or four years.
Photo: Canadian Press
By JOSE M. ROMERO
Jeff Larentowicz's low bouncer through the San Jose wall and past goalkeeper Jon Busch in the
72nd minute proved to be the difference as the Colorado Rapids came from behind to defeat the host
San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium.
