COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Previously unbeaten in six games, the Rapids enter this weekend on the back of a disappointing 1-0 road loss at Toronto where they dominated much of the game. Suddenly, three points from their last four games doesn’t quite have the same ring as unbeaten in six.
Now, every game is becoming more and more crucial. Whereas early in the season, coaches and players would talk about not worrying at losing a point or two here and there, now that the halfway mark of 2010 has arrived, home games are beginning to look like must-wins.
“The old cliché of taking every game as it comes springs to mind straight away,” Rapids head coach Gary Smith told MLSsoccer.com ahead of Saturday's home game vs. Kansas City. “It’s a good opportunity for us to get back into our stride again.”
Smith was speaking before Kansas City's surprise midweek victory over Columbus. Nevertheless, a team with the Wizards’ form of late—they have just two wins in their last 10 games—is ripe for the taking, especially with the Rapids being at home. The head coach knows that nothing less than a convincing win will be enough.
However, his faltering team needs to overcome niggling mistakes at the back and a lack of clinical finishing at the other end.
In all likelihood, Colorado will welcome back Mehdi Ballouchy into the creative part of the midfield. The Moroccan, who has been an important player for the Rapids this season with three assists and two goals, was absent for the Toronto game because of visa issues. If he slips back into midfield, it probably means one of the wide players, either Jamie Smith or Wells Thompson, will slide to the bench. Claudio Lopez, who had such a bright 20 minutes or so in Toronto, is another very viable option off the bench on Saturday night.
There also remains a question mark in the back four after Danny Earls was brought off in Toronto right after the Rapids conceded the only goal of the game. He was replaced by Scott Palguta.
Whatever the combination Smith uses, winning on Saturday night is everything. Forward Omar Cummings, who turned 28 on Tuesday, will be particularly anxious to celebrate his birthday by scoring. The Jamaican has four for the season.
“We had six games without losing, and unfortunately we didn’t get that result [against Toronto],” Cummings told MLSsoccer.com. “We need to be strong at home and get this win. We can tie or even lose on the road, but at home we need to win.”
With this weekend's game starting a run of three home fixtures out of the next four for the Rapids, these are important times at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. With teams like LA continuing to push ahead, Smith sees his side competing with a number of other teams for playoff spots, and the next run of games are a crucial part of that puzzle.
“You see the likes of Dallas, San Jose, Toronto and one or two others that are coming up, and you will see some of those maybe start to detach from the group pushing for that playoff berth,” he said. “I obviously hope we are not one of those.”
