Colorado Rapids face the expansion Philadelphis Union at PPL Park on Saturday afternoon.

Colorado controlled play and got the night’s lucky break in beating San Jose 1-0.

Colorado faces San Jose with dire need of a win before taking off for two weeks on the road.

The once-promising Rapids are slipping toward the All Star Game. With only four points from the past five games, the team is in trouble and the mid-term grade is due.

Colorado manages a tie with visiting Kansas City, remaining winless since the World Cup break, and slipping further behind in the Western Conference.

Random notes from the Colorado Rapids’ third draw in nine days …

Nick Thomas of WeWantRapidman and yours truly were guests on a podcast by Robert Jonas of Center Line Soccer as the Bay Area Web site previewed the two upcoming games between the San Jose Earthquakes and the Colorado Rapids. We also give you the Prost Amerika Soccer preview of the weekend’s Major League Soccer games, and we include the American Soccer Minute for the first time.

Today we hear from Regis University men’s soccer coach Tony McCall, and we take a look at the Colorado School of Mines men’s and women’s teams, Colorado Rapids coach Gary Smith’s comments on the Ugo Ihemelu-Drew Moor trade, my votes for Major League Soccer player of the month, the Super Classico between Chivas USA and Los Angeles Galaxy, CU record-setter Nikki Marshall and more!

The Chivas USA coach gets fined; McManus scores (what else?); Hunter Freeman and Thiago Martins in Norway; the Bailiwick of Guernsey is reading ColoradoSoccerNow.com; and much more …

Chad Marshall scored on a free kick in the 39th minute as the Crew defeated Colorado 1-0 on Saturday night despite being outshot 16-5 by the Rapids. Above, Columbus goalkeeper William Hesmer denies the Rapids again. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)