Game Preview: Colorado vs. Chivas USA
COMMERCE CITY, CO – Colorado will be looking to extend their home undefeated streak to eight games when they host Chivas USA on Saturday, September 4 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (7 pm MT, KWGN-Channel 2).
The Rapids are 8-6-7 (31 points) after last week’s 3-0 win over Houston, and currently in 7th place overall in the playoff standings. Chivas come in at 6-11-4 (22 points), and in last place in the Western Conference.
Read: Complete MLS Game Guide (PDF)
QUICK NOTES:
- Colorado have lost only once at home all season, posting a 5-1-4 record at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, and are riding an eight-game unbeaten stretch at home heading into Saturday’s game.
- Chivas is 2-7-2 on the road this season in MLS regular season games.
- The Rapids defeated Chivas 1-0 in both teams' season openers back on March 26 at The Home Depot Center.Omar Cummings tallied the lone goal in the 55th minute.
- Colorado are 7-5-4 all-time against Chivas USA in regular season play, including 2-4-1 at home.
- Rapids midfielder Pablo Mastroeni and forwards Omar Cummings and Conor Casey are each carrying four yellow cards on the season. If any of them pick up their fifth caution on Saturday they will have to serve a one-game suspension.
- Conor Casey’s goal against Houston tied him with John Spencer for second place on the team’s all-time goals chart. He is just two goals shy of tying Paul Bravo for the club’s all-time scoring lead with 39. In nine career games against Chivas, Casey has 4 goals and 2 assists.
- With the Good Behavior Incentive, Cummings needs to play one more game without receiving a caution to have one taken away; Mastroeni needs to play in three straight games to have one taken away; and Casey, who has already benefited from the rule this year, would be suspended on picking up any caution throughout the remainder of the regular season.
- On Wednesday, Chivas USA fell 3-1 to Seattle Sounders FC in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.
- Chivas will field a few different players from when the teams met in March. Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy is out for the year with tear in a tendon in his left arm; midfielder Sacha Kljestan was transferred to Belgian club Anderlecht; and forward Maykel Galindo is on loan to Tampa (USSF-Div. 2).
- Former Rapids keeper Zach Thornton is expected to play in the nets for Chivas, while the goats now also counts on forward Alan Gordon, who was acquired in a trade with the Galaxy last month. Gordon scored LA’s only goal against Colorado earlier this year. Chivas has also added former US Youth international Sal Zizzo and Venezuelan forward Giancarlo Maldonado.
- Chivas’ leading scorer is Justin Braun, who has scored 8 goals. However, it is defender Jonathan Bornstein who is Chivas’ all-time leading scorer against Colorado with three goals scored.
- DID YOU KNOW: The next time he takes the field, captain Pablo Mastroeni will tie Chris Henderson for the most games played in club history with 178. Mastroeni has already surpassed Henderson in Rapids all-time games started and minutes played this season.
INJURY REPORT: (as of Sept. 1, 2010)
DISCIPLINARY / INTERNATIONAL:
SUSPENDED
ON CAUTION WARNING (suspended next yellow card)
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS:
NATIONAL TEAM CALL-UPS
RAPIDS VS. CHIVAS USA HEAD-TO-HEAD:
Last two seasons’ results:
TEAM UNIFORM COLORS:
OFFICIALS:
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
The game will be televised on KWGN-Channel 2, on MLS Direct Kick package, and on MLS MatchDay Live on MLSsoccer.com.
NEXT:
The Rapids visit the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 2 pm MT live on KWGN-Channel 2 and nationally on TeleFutura.