COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — By the time the Colorado Rapids take the field against the LA Galaxy on Saturday, it's very likely they will already know their playoff fate.
Unless the Kansas City Wizards win their road games in Chicago on Tuesday and in New England earlier on Saturday, the Rapids will already be in the playoffs before they kick off against Beckham, Donovan & Co.
Even if the Wizards do win both games, the Rapids would still only need a point Saturday to make the postseason for sure.
Colorado find themselves in the slightly frustrating situation of likely being the last team to make it into the MLS Cup Playoffs. Seven teams have already qualified for the postseason, and the Rapids lie very comfortably in the final eighth position, nine points ahead of the Wizards, the only team that can challenge them for that final playoff spot.
Rapids head coach Gary Smith is confident his team will earn a berth and Saturday’s resilient draw against FC Dallas has only increased that confidence — especially following the disappointing home defeat to D.C. United last week.
What Smith will be looking for against the Galaxy is more of the same, irrespective of whether the Rapids will still need something to secure the postseason. Right now, it’s all about momentum. To mount a plausible run in the playoffs, they will need more performances like the ones this past weekend against Dallas and the 1-1 “almost a win” tie on the road against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 25.
“This was really about the performance,” Smith told MLSsoccer.com after the tie against Dallas. “The point is still very important and will go a long way to our final tally, but this was overall a fabulous performance by our team.”
WATCH: Full match highlights vs. FCD
The Rapids largely dominated the second half after going into the break 2-1 down. Dallas, though, controlled the game for a period once the Rapids had taken an early lead through Jeff Larentowicz’s 13th-minute goal.
Colorado even took control after Larentowicz’s second strike to tie the game, and they almost snuck a victory.
Though FCD may have looked vulnerable at the back in the second half after George John went off with an injury, Smith preferred to give credit where credit’s due.
“For once, it may just be about us playing well rather than them playing badly,” he said. “We were behind and it was just sheer will that got us the point.”
The Rapids kick off against the Galaxy in Carson, Calif., at 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
