The Columbus Crew meet the Rapids in a one-shot wild card match the night after FC Dallas and the New York Red Bulls tangle in the other wild card match. The winners will then face either Sporting KC or the Los Angeles Galaxy.

This Season: The Rapids managed to get by Columbus on penalty kicks in the first round of the 2010 playoffs after the two sides were tied 2-2 on aggregate goals.

This season, the Rapids suffered a humbling 4-1 loss at Columbus and then delivered the most compelling 2-0 win at home on Aug. 5. Which team shows up on Thursday will determine how much longer the crown wearers get to play for another one.

Even Stevens: Playoffs are the great equalizer, and that’s never more true than a one-game showdown.

Colorado, whose 49 points would have been good enough for second in the Eastern Conference, but only good enough for fifth in the Western, faces a fourth-place squad from the East.

Columbus, which finished with 47 points, faces woes in the midfield, the one area where the Rapids have been sound in recent weeks.

In fact, the midfield did an excellent job in the 0-0 match with Real Salt Lake in the final home regular season match, and followed that up by boasting the only goal scorers in the 2-1 season finale win over the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The win secured the homefield for Thursday’s playoff meeting.

It was as match a wrestling match as a battle of soccer teams on Saturday. Here, Brian Mullan tangles with two Dallas defenders. Colorado won 1-0. (Photograph by Joel Baud/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

The Saturday night showdown between FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids was not so much a rematch of the 2010 MLS Cup as it was a desperate 90 minutes for two teams stumbling toward the playoffs.

Colorado came in winless in its last five MLS matches (0-3-2) and Dallas arrived on a string of getting shutout in three straight matches. For the teams clinging to the top two wild card spots, neither side was in a position to allow for too many errors.

Mercifully for the Rapids, the team with the biggest chinks in its armor proved to be the visitors from Texas.

Drew Moor, whom FC Dallas traded to Colorado in 2009, rose to get a head on a Sanna Nyassi corner kick in the 25th minute and deliver the game’s only goal. Matt Pickens was solid in the net and the Rapids weathered a late challenge while a man down to win 1-0 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the team’s first home win since Aug. 5.

With the victory, the Rapids improved to 11-9-12, 45 points, with two matches remaining. Dallas — shutout for the fourth game in a row — dropped to 13-11-7, 46 points, with three matches remaining.

The result likely meant that both sides will make the postseason, but with several teams still having four games to play after the weekend, it’s too soon to start making playoff decisions in Dallas or Denver.

The LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake have all booked playoff spots. The top three spots in the Eastern Conference are still to be sorted with six teams bunched only seven points apart. The top three from the East will go through with the remainder battling FC Dallas and the Rapids for the four wild card spots.

Next Up: The Rapids get a rest. Colorado’s two regular season MLS matches include a home date with Salt Lake on Oct. 14, and a visit to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps on Oct. 22.

In the final group stage match of the CONCACAF Champions League, Colorado travels to Santos Laguna on Oct. 19 to face a side that is already in the CCL quarterfinals. The Rapids need a win to advance in the champions league or a tie and some lucky circumstances to move forward.

Still Searching: Murphy Brown had greater success finding an assistant than coach Gary Smith has in finding a leftback. Moor, Anthony Wallace, Danny Earls, Scott Palguta and even Wells Thompson have spent some time in the spot. The latest choice, Miguel Comminges, was sent off for a second yellow card on Saturday. This means he will be sitting out on Oct. 14, and another back will have a chance in the unsettled corner.

No teams have played more than the 26 games of the Colorado Rapids and Toronto FC. No team has played fewer MLS games than Real Salt Lake’s 22.

Despite this disparity, the teams are ranked for the playoffs by total points accumulated and the team’s standing in each conference. The top three teams in each conference and the teams with the next four highest point totals qualify for the MLS postseason.

Based on the league standard, the Los Angeles Galaxy, FC Dallas and the Seattle Sounders would get the top three spots in the Western Conference, with the Columbus Crew, Philadelphia Union and New York Red Bulls getting the top spots in the Eastern Conference. The next four spots would go to Colorado, Salt Lake, Houston and Kansas City (on the strength of its tiebreaker over Chivas USA and D.C. United).

The standings, however, start to look a bit silly as four Western teams have more points than the best team in the East (Columbus at 37 points). And the fifth team in the West, Salt Lake, would be second in the East with 36 points.

Trying to make some sense of this has prompted observers to look at the points accumulated per game as a method to determine who is leading the league. For The Tuesday List, we took a look at average goal differential.

Team Games GD AGD
LA Galaxy* 25 15 0.60
Real Salt Lake* 22 13 0.59
Seattle Sounders* 25 8 0.32
Philadelphia* 23 7 0.30
FC Dallas* 25 7 0.28
Colorado Rapids* 26 5 0.19
Chivas USA 24 4 0.167
Columbus Crew* 24 4 0.167
NY Red Bulls* 25 4 0.16
Sporting KC* 23 2 0.08
Houston Dynamo* 24 1 0.04
D.C. United 22 0 0
San Jose 24 -6 -0.25
Chicago Fire 23 -7 -0.30
Portland Timbers 23 -8 -0.34
New England 24 -13 -0.54
Vancouver 24 -15 -0.625
Toronto FC 26 -21 -0.81

* In playoff position.

What does this tell us? First, we are playing with averages, and those are easily influenced by one big win or loss. Second, there are some teams (LA and RSL) that look like they should be running away with the league.

Finally, there is a lot of fluidity on this list. Except for the three things at the bottom and the two at the top of the list, any of the others could be booking postseason trips or planning time on the couch. In particular, it will be interesting to see if Chivas USA gets on a run of form in the coming weeks that unseats any of the Eastern pretenders.

Your thoughts?

Home hasn't been that kind to the Colorado Rapids this season, as the expression on Jeff Larentowicz face indicates during a home loss to the LA Galaxy. (Photograph by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

First, let’s take a look at MLS team records on the road this season. We begin with wins on the road out of total road matches played, through Wednesday.

Team Wins/Matches
1. LA Galaxy 6/13
2. FC Dallas 4/10
2. DC United 4/10
2. Seattle Sounders 4/12
2. Colorado 4/12
6. Philadelphia 3/10
6. Columbus 3/11
6. Sporting KC 3/14
9. Real Salt Lake 2/8
9. Chivas USA 2/10
9. San Jose 2/10
12. Portland 1/10
12. Chicago 1/12
12. New York 1/12
12. New England 1/12
16. Houston 0/10
16. Toronto FC 0/12
16. Vancouver 0/12

Only one team, the LA Galaxy has more road wins (6) than the Rapids (4) this season. Of the three teams tied with Colorado on road wins, only DC United trails the Rapids in the league standings.

Next, we look at home wins out of total home matches. Again, the records include Wednesday’s MLS matches.

Team Wins/Matches
1. FC Dallas 8/13
2. Real Salt Lake 7/12
3. LA Galaxy 6/11
3. Seattle Sounders 6/11
3. Columbus 6/11
3. Portland 6/12
3. Houston 6/12
8. Philadelphia 5/11
8. New York 5/11
10. Colorado 4/12
10. Chivas USA 4/12
10. Sporting KC 4/8
13. New England 3/10
13. Toronto FC 3/12
13. San Jose 3/12
16. DC United 2/10
16. Vancouver 2/10
18. Chicago 1/9

Looking at these two lists together, several pictures start to emerge. First, Sporting KC had no fun playing so many games on the road waiting for a new home field to open in Kansas City, Kan. Second, Toronto FC has been wretched on the road, Chicago Fire has been wretched at home, and the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps haven’t had succes anywhere.

In addition, the LA Galaxy owns the best record in the league by being tough at home and outstanding on the road. Real Salt Lake, which has suffered from a CONCACAF Champions League hangover since losing in the final, is in great shape to charge to the top of the table.

And for Rapids fans, the two charts provide proof that the team has been one of the best travelers in the league. Unfortunately, Colorado has had a tough time at home. Those home shortfalls are something to keep in mind as the playoff race tightens in September and October, months when Colorado has a total of three games at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

Colorado, a team tied for second in the league in road wins, wears the uncomfortable crown of being a team — 10th in the league in home wins — that struggles to put away opponents at home.

On Monday, Alexandre was voted MLS Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters. The goal was the first in the Haitian international’s MLS career.

With RSL’s forward corps depleted by injury and Gold Cup call-ups, Alexandre moved from his usual midfield role to forward and justified the coach’s decision. In the 32nd minute, Kyle Beckerman sent a pass through the Vancouver defense to Alexandre at the top of the box. As he received the ball, Alexandre held off one defender, then used a nifty step-over to brush by a second defender before slipping the ball past the charging goalkeeper for his first MLS goal in 26 career appearances.

Late in the second half, Alexandre’s quick feet helped set up the insurance goal. After a giveaway by Vancouver in the midfield, Alexandre evaded a sliding challenge and poked a through pass to Fabian Espindola. In alone against goalkeeper Joe Cannon, Espindola coolly finished to the far post.

Alexandre is the second player from RSL to win Player of the Week in 2011 (Javier Morales won in week 2) and it marks the first time this season that a team has had a second player receive the honor.

CSN Vote: Alexandre was our pick. He stepped into an unfamiliar role and delivered an excellent performance. He provided a spark for a Salt Lake team that has been drifting since the CONCACAF champions finale failure.

‘Keeper Kasey Keller was our second choice for keeping a clean sheet for Seattle on the road in Chicago.

Mondaini received a red card for the challenge, which resulted in Morales suffering two broken bones and torn ligaments in his left ankle.

The Disciplinary Committee determined that Mondaini’s tackle was reckless and endangered the safety of his opponent. Mondaini will be suspended for a total of four games and fined a total of $1,500, including the automatic one-game suspension and $250 fine for receiving a red card.

This comes after the league gave Colorado Rapids midfielder Brian Mullan a 10 game suspension for a hard tackle that broke Steve Zakuani’s leg.

While I can’t fault the league for wanting to take action to protect players, I have to question the severity of Mondaini’s penalty relative to Mullan’s.

Mullan made the tackle from the side in the run of play. He may have been angered over a previous non-call on a foul, but he did at least make a play on the ball.

Mondaini made no attempt at the ball. He came from behind with a tackle designed entirely to injure Morales. It was a move to take out Salt Lake’s playmaker, and it worked.

If the league hoped to make a statement with Mullan’s suspension, it took a terrible step backward today.

Instead, the two rivals get a Wednesday night showdown in Salt Lake City. The Rapids, 3-1-0, and Real, 3-0-0, top the Western Conference and Major League Soccer. Now the two get to renew their animosity in the first of two games this season.

As they ready for the first game of the Rocky Mountain Cup series, The Tuesday List takes a look at Colorado’s record over the years against the team from Utah.

Year                  Rapids record against Salt Lake
2005                                      3-1-0
2006                                      2-1-1
2007                                      1-2-1
2008                                      1-1-1
2009                                      1-1-1
2010                                      0-0-2

This stacks up to an all-time Rapids of 8-6-6 versus Salt Lake. However, the Rapids record after Real’s first two seasons is a pedestrian 3-4-5. Several of those losses have been heartbreakers. A 2009 loss to Real kept the Rapids out of the playoffs. A last-second tie did the same in 2008.

But the most intriguing number may not be the head-to-head comparison, but in what they have done against the rest of the league. These two teams are the most recent winners of the MLS Cup, with Salt Lake winning in 2009 and Colorado winning in 2010.

Add it all up, and Wednesday night could be an entertaining time.

Major League Soccer unveiled the league-wide schedule on Thursday. For the Rapids, it means the team will open the season with expansion side Portland Timbers on March 19 and close with Real Salt Lake at home on Oct. 14.

In between, the MLS Cup champions will get 32 chances to defend the title and line-up a favorable playoff position. Hopefully, with four shots against the two expansion teams (Portland and the Vancouver Whitecaps) a playoff spot will be secured before the final week of the season.

Some other highlights for 2011:

• The Rapids first travel to Pizza Hut Park to take on FC Dallas on April 9 with the second regular season match at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Oct. 1.

• Colorado’s biggest and best fireworks show will be back for a 16th straight edition when the Rapids host the Houston Dynamo on July 3. The match is one of two that televised live nationally on ESPN2.

• Along with the regular season schedule, the Rapids in 2011 will also participate in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in games beginning in March / April as well as the CONCACAF Champions League group stage which is expected to begin in August. The match dates for these two tournaments will be announced at a later date.

The Rapids will be showcased on ESPN2 twice during the season on July 3 and Oct. 14, both home matches, marking the first time that ESPN has aired a regular season game from Dick’s Sporting Goods Park since 2008. Colorado also will have nationally televised games on Galavision on April 3 and June 11.

The 2011 campaign will kick off on Saturday, March 19, 2011, and the 34 matches will be played in the span of 32 weeks with the regular season coming to a close on Oct. 22.

The Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers will each start play in the league in 2011.

The league also announced that it will not break for the CONCACAF Gold Cup or any other international competitions next year. In 2010 there was a two-week hiatus in MLS league play during the World Cup group stage.

The 2011 postseason format, the date for MLS Cup 2011 and the format for the 2011 regular-season schedule will be announced by MLS at a later date.

Toronto Moves: Toronto FC fired general manager Mo Johnston and coach Preki, the club announced Tuesday.

Johnston selected Preki to lead the club before this season, with an eye on Toronto’s first playoff berth. Preki led Chivas USA to the playoffs three straight years before making the move north.

Assistant Nick Dasovic, a former Canadian international, was named as interim coach. Academy director Earl Cochrane will temporarily take over Johnston’s managerial duties and will be assisted by former player Jim Brennan.

“Unfortunately, things didn’t work out as we had hoped,” said Tom Anselmi, executive vice president of TFC’s parent company, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., at the team’s Tuesday press conference.

Anselmi said that the hunt for a permanent head coach and GM would begin immediately and that Dasovic and Cochrane would remain candidates.

Toronto is currently in ninth, five points out of the playoffs and in the middle of a six-game winless streak. The team has been shut out in five of  the past six league games, and has six games left.

Morales Fined: The Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee on Monday issued a fine and one-game suspension to Real Salt Lake midfielder Javier Morales for actions taken against Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Osvaldo Alonso in the Salt Lake versus Seattle game on Saturday.      
 
The unsportsmanlike action which endangered the safety of his opponent was not seen by the officiating crew and Morales did not receive any discipline during the match.  After reviewing the incident, the MLS Disciplinary Committee decided that the action constituted a red card offense and Morales should be suspended for one game and fined $250. Morales will serve his suspension during Salt Lake’s next League game on Saturday against the Chicago Fire.
 
Fines collected are donated to MLS W.O.R.K.S., Major League Soccer’s community outreach initiative dedicated to addressing important social issues affecting young people and serves as a platform for both League and club philanthropic programs.

It was a fight from start to end as Rapids Marvell Wynne (center) is double teamed by Sounders Leo Gonzalez (left) and Steve Zakuani during the game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park May 29, 2010. Rapids come out with the victory 1-0. (Photograph by Jessica Taves/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

A cheeky chip from Conor Casey provided the winning margin Saturday night as the Colorado Rapids outplayed, outshot and finally beat the Seattle Sounders 1-0.

Casey’s first goal in the run of play this season — and his fourth overall — came in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,116 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

On his goal, Casey received the ball from Omar Cummings in the 63rd minute, held off a challenge from Jeff Parke in the Seattle defense and then lobbed the ball over a charging Kasey Keller in the Seattle goal. Casey last scored in the run of play against Toronto Sept. 12, 2009. His six goals since then had come from penalty kicks.

With the win, Colorado improved to 5-3-1 (16 points) and moved into a third-place tie in the Western Conference, three points behind Real Salt Lake with a game in hand. Seattle fell to 3-5-3 (12 points) and remains mired in seventh in the conference.

Seattle 11: Keller, Leo Gonzalez, Tyrone Marshall, Jeff Parke, James Riley, Steve Zakuani (Sanna Nyassi 64), Brad Evans, Patrick Ianni, Freddie Ljungberg, Pat Noonan (Roger Levesque 83), Fredy Montero (Miguel Montano 76).

Colorado 11: Matt Pickens, Marvell Wynne, Drew Moor, Julien Baudet, Danny Earls, Mehdi Ballouchy, Jeff Larentowicz, Pablo Mastroeni, Wells Thompson (Colin Clark 60), Casey, Cummings (Quincy Amarikwa 89).