Colorado Rapids vs Chivas USA Match Preview
The match serves as another big game for both of these Western Conference sides. Chivas, who finds themselves at the bottom of the Western table, need another positive result (they beat DC United last week) if they are to get out of the basement.
The Goats are coming off a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup loss to the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday. The Rapids, who had won only once in their previous nine games, pulled out a convincing 3-0 victory over Houston last weekend with all three goals coming in the opening 23 minutes. The Rapids have already beaten Chivas on the road in the opening game of the season thanks to a goal from Omar Cummings.
The Rapids’ upcoming home fixture list features some teams near the bottom of both conference tables so a win over Chivas USA will help to ensure the playoff spot they are chasing.
While it is ill-advised to ever take an opponent lightly, captain Pablo Mastroeni feels confident that his Colorado teammates will do enough for the victory.
“Any team, regardless of your standing in the table, can beat any team on any given day,” Mastroeni said this week. “What we have come away with from this season is to have utmost respect for every team that we play and find a way to impose ourselves on the opposing team early in the game. We have real confidence from the Houston game but we need to be aware all the while that this is a dangerous team.”
