FRISCO, Texas --There's not much the Colorado Rapids can hang their hopes on as they head into the homestretch of their disappointing 2017 season.
After making the Western Conference Championship last season, they're just a goal-differential tiebreaker out of last place right now -- and with four of their next five matches on the road, where they're a woeful 0-8-2 after Saturday's scoreless draw to FC Dallas, things aren't going to get any easier.
About all they can take into the week ahead is the consolation of picking up a road point for the second time this year, and recording just their fourth clean sheet of 2017.
"We are desperate for points now,” defender Jared Watts said. “But a shutout on the road is something we can build on with an important home game next week.”
On the plus side, that match is against D.C. United -- the East's worst team and the only one with fewer points (19) than the Rapids and Minnesota United (22 each).
Colorado could be without defender Axel Sjoberg, though, after he sustained a lower leg injury and had to be replaced by Kortne Ford -- who made two big clearances to preserve the shutout -- at halftime.
“It’s always a tough situation when you have to sub a center back at halftime,” coach Pablo Mastroeni said. “Kort did a good job finding his way and the backline did well."
Saturday's performance also showed that the Rapids haven't given up on the season, Mastroeni said.
“At times it was about character, it was about bravery, it was about throwing your body in front of the ball and in front of the goal, and the guys did that,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’re at a point now that we need to maximize our points, but when the guys leave everything on the field, when they work hard for each other, when they don’t give up -- I mean, these are important qualities for a team that still has a lot of fight in them and believe that we have a chance.”
