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Pondering past performances
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. Win, and they face the LA Galaxy in the next round of the playoffs. Lose, and the team can head to the training room and join rehabilitating forward Conor Casey.
Looking Back: For this playoff edition of The Thursday List, we take a look back at past playoff performances for the Rapids. The list starts with the team’s first playoff appearance and opponent and grows from there.
1997: at Kansas City, Win, 3-0
Kansas City, Win, 3-2
at Dallas, Win, 1-0
Dallas, Win, 2-1
at D.C. United, Loss, 2-1
1998: at Chicago, Loss, 1-1 (shootout)
Chicago, Loss, 1-0
1999: at Los Angeles, Loss, 3-0
Los Angeles, Loss, 2-0
2000: at Kansas City, Loss, 1-0
Kansas City, Tie, 0-0
at Kansas City, Loss, 3-2
2002: at Dallas, Loss, 4-2
Dallas, Win, 1-0
at Dallas, Tie, 2-1 (second overtime)
at Los Angeles, Loss, 4-0
Los Angeles, Loss, 1-0
2003: Kansas City, Tie, 1-1
at Kansas City, Loss, 2-0
2004: Los Angeles, Win, 1-0
at Los Angeles, Loss, 2-0
2005: FC Dallas, Tie, 0-0
at FC Dallas, Win, 2-2 (overtime)
Los Angeles, Loss, 2-0
2006: FC Dallas, Loss, 2-1
at FC Dallas, Win, 3-2 (overtime)
at Houston, Loss, 3-1
2010: Columbus, Win, 1-0
at Columbus, Loss, 2-1 (advanced on PK’s)
San Jose, Win, 1-0
FC Dallas, Win, 2-1 (overtime)
Opening Match: In 10 previous playoff appearances the Colorado Rapids are 3-5-2 in opening matches.
The bad news for the Rapids is that this year’s wild card match is a one-and-done affair for the losers.
The good news for the Rapids is the team’s record in home playoff matches in the opening round. Counting the two-leg affairs of the past, the team is a respectable 4-3-3 through the years.
Home Openers: The Rapids have played at home to open the playoffs five times. In those games — which includes the 2010 opener against the Crew — the team is 2-1-2.
Missing: The two players who scored against Columbus in the past season will be absent tonight. Casey is out for the season with a leg injury and Pablo Mastroeni is recovering from a concussion suffered against Real Salt Lake on Oct. 14.
Present: Kosuke Kimura, who was the last person to score for the Rapids at home in a playoff match, will be on the field tonight. The right back scored a wonder goal against San Jose in 2010 that eluded a charging Omar Cummings and goalkeeper Jon Busch.
Kimura, in fact, seems to always be on the field. Team golden boot winner Jeff Larentowicz, goalkeeper Matt Pickens and Kimura were the only Rapids to appear in all 34 games this season.
You Again: Brian Mullan, a late-season pickup from Houston in 2010, makes his 11th consecutive appearance in the MLS playoffs. Mullan, a Colorado soccer product, has appeared in the playoffs every season of his career.
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