The Colorado Rapids are facing a tight schedule and some injury challenges, not only this week but also deep into April.
Following a 1-0 road-trip victory over Chivas USA on Saturday night, the Rapids flew back Sunday for a brief respite before some of the team almost immediately heads to the Midwest to play the Chicago Fire in a US Open Cup play-in game on Wednesday.
And it’s not Chicago the team is playing in but Peoria, Ill. — 130 miles from the Windy City.
Then there's a late-afternoon home match against D.C. United on April 3, which is followed by more flights as the Rapids face difficult away games just days apart against FC Dallas (April 8) and Real Salt Lake (April 13).
It may be a good time to dig up the old cliche about "taking one game at a time." That starts with Wednesday's Open Cup qualifier.
A dusting of snow in the Denver metro area prevented the Rapids from practicing on Monday. The team will train Tuesday morning before some of the squad makes its way back to Denver International Airport for the Chicago flight.
In reality, few of the players who actually played against Chivas will be involved in the Chicago game. Quincy Amarikwa, Wells Thompson (pictured above) and Ross LaBauex look like the obvious ones.
[inline_node:332214]Amarikwa (at right), whose first-half winner against Chivas is among the nominees for the AT&T Goal of the Week, might have been looking forward to some well-deserved time off, but the reality is that he and Andre Akpan are the only two forwards likely to be considered for the Chicago game.
Akpan had been nursing a hamstring injury, but head coach Gary Smith confirmed on Monday that the second-year player would be fit to play Wednesday. Macoumba Kandji, however, is injured long-term.
Conor Casey has been carrying a calf injury and Omar Cummings is playing with Jamaica, though it's unlikely either would have been considered anyway. Smith may gamble with recent signing Caleb Folan, but the Irish international played 78 minutes in his MLS debut last weekend and will be needed for the DC game on Sunday.
The midfield and defense both appear to have enough fit players to fill the gaps. Of those players on the bench Saturday who didn’t make it onto the field, Scott Palguta, Ian Joyce, Tyrone Marshall and Joseph Nane look likely to be on the Chicago-bound plane.
“There will be a sprinkling of players tonight who will be involved in the Open Cup game,” Smith told MLSsoccer.com after the Chivas game. “For the others, it will give them some time to recuperate before Sunday.”
One other familiar face who could play on Wednesday is left back Danny Earls. The Irishman, who played 18 games for the Rapids in 2010 before being waived after MLS Cup, has re-signed , Smith told MLSsoccer.com today.
Wednesday’s game, which kicks off at 7:30 pm ET, will be streamed live on coloradorapids.com.
