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Rapids ready to face KC twice
Is Kansas City the team that failed to make the playoffs and looked anemic in attack, or the squad that crushed D.C. United 4-0 to open the season?
The Colorado Rapids, coming off a disappointing tie at home, will get to find out today. The Rapids visit the Wizards in an early season battle of undefeated teams. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. with television coverage over the air and in HD on KWGN Channel 2. And, if they didn’t get a close enough look, they will get another chance on Tuesday night in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in game, also in KC.
The biggest change for the Wizards has come at midfield, where new acquisition Ryan Smith scored and added two assists in his debut. Against D.C., the Wizards midfield, which looked soft in 2009, suddenly showed some toughness. It could make for an intriguing matchup today, especially if Wizards cast-off Carlos Lopez gets on the field for the Rapids. Lopez was part of that midfield unit that failed to produce in ’09.
Latest Meeting: Neither team could muster a goal last September at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The 0-0 tie was another in the late season swoon that left the Rapids watching the playoffs from home. The Wizards also stayed home in 2009.
Last Win: The Rapids have not won in Kansas City since Sept. 14, 2002. Since then, the Rapids are 0-6-3 in KC.
New Forward: Don’t be surprised if Quincy Amarikwa appears in one of those two games. The Rapids picked him up on Wednesday in exchange for a second round 2012 Major League Soccer SuperDraft pick to San Jose.
Amarikwa is fast and, despite scoring only once in 25 appearances last season for the dismal Earthquakes, adds some depth to the attack. It will be interesting to see how the team changes with Lopez and Amarikwa getting on the field.
Doubleheader: Yes, the U.S. Open Cup is a little-loved and oft-neglected competition. True, no one sits around making commemorative knick knacks for Open Cup Winners. Quick, name last year’s winner.
Step past all of that. It’s a 97-year-old competition that includes all the MLS teams and results in a trophy at the end. It’s hardware for the trophy case. And the Rapids trophy case needs some hardware. The U.S. Open Cup is an ideal chance to get some hardware.
Tuesday night, 8:30 Mountain time, the Rapids face the Wizards at Stanley H. Durwood Stadium and Recreational Field on the campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. For the third season in a row, the Rapids start with a play-in game on the road. In ’09, the Rapids beat the L.A. Galaxy 4-2 on penalty kicks before falling to the Seattle Sounders 1-0 in the next round. It will be interesting to see what team takes the field at UMKC, regular starters or a bunch of reserves.
And the answer to the question above is the Seattle Sounders. The team won in its inaugural year of competition. Since the A-League’s Rochester Rhinos won in 1999, the MLS teams have owned the competition. Shouldn’t it be the Rapids turn?
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