COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids face the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday night as the MLS Cup champions enter the final stages of their preseason preparations.
Head coach Gary Smith reckons that game and Saturday’s matchup against the Vancouver Whitecaps will offer the sternest preseason tests yet for the Rapids as the season comes closer into view. The team will open the 2011 season against another Pacific Northwest team with the Portland Timbers visiting Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on March 19.
“These two games will be the two toughest encounters this preseason,” Smith told MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday. “Both are on turf and the game tomorrow night will be in front of a pretty decent crowd which will add some energy.”
Smith is taking a 20-strong squad as opposed to the recent preseason trips to Arizona and California, when essentially all the playing roster plus trialists traveled. The 20 players flying to Seattle on Tuesday can be safely assumed to be the nucleus of the first-team squad this coming season.
Back-up goalkeeper Ian Joyce, who is recovering from a broken toe, and long-term injury concern Macoumba Kandji will be staying at home in Colorado, along with squad players Davy Armstrong, Steven Emory, Mike Holody and trialist Josh Janniere.
Something close to a first 11 should be starting both games this week, but Smith did say that it would be prudent for some of the more senior players to take some rest time because of the challenges offered by the turf surfaces at both venues. First-team regulars like Conor Casey, Pablo Mastroeni and Brian Mullan, as well as new signing Tyrone Marshall, are unlikely to be playing the full 180 minutes, Smith said.
Smith is aware of the challenges both teams will offer. Vancouver will be riding a wave of confidence after their recent Cascadia Summit win over Seattle and a good draw against Portland while Seattle will want to boost their confidence going into their season-opener on March 15.
“Neither side will be wanting to go into the season on a bad note,” he said. “But it’s the same for us.”
The Rapids are coming off their first preseason defeat last week in San Luis Obispo, Calif., to San Jose. Midfielder Jeff Larentowicz says that match proved that no team will be showing undue respect for the MLS champions this year.
“They really came at us,” he said. “That silver [championship] ball will be following us around wherever we go and it’s going to be a test for us this season.”
