The Colorado Rapids will play host to the Columbus Crew in an MLS Cup wildcard playoff game on Wednesday night.
The winner of this game will travel to face Sporting Kansas City in an MLS Cup quarter-final matchup on Sunday.
Conor Casey and Anthony Wallace are ruled out with injury for Colorado, while Pablo Mastroeni is questionable due to a concussion. Jamie Smith and goalkeeper Matt Pickens are expected to shake off minor injuries in time to play.
Veteran center back Drew Moor will lead the Rapids defense, and is fired up ahead of this playoff clash. “It’s a one off,” Moor told the official MLS website. “The winner moves on, loser goes home. Anything can happen in games like that. We need to take advantage of our home field.”
Nigerian playmaker Emmanuel Ekpo is suspended for the Crew, while Danny O’Rourke and Tony Tchani are struggling with knee injuries and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Midfielder Robbie Rogers had already won one MLS Cup a member of the Crew, and knows his team has work ahead of them if they are to win another. “I don’t know if this team yet is mature enough, or maybe naïve on the mistakes we’ve made,” Rogers told the official MLS website. “So there’s improvement that we need to make but overall I think this season so far has been pretty successful. Anything can happen in the playoffs.”
Designated player Andres Mendoza will also be a key figure for the Crew, the Peruvian playmaker registered a total of 13 goals and two assists during the MLS regular season.
Conor Casey and Anthony Wallace are ruled out with injury for Colorado, while Pablo Mastroeni is questionable due to a concussion. Jamie Smith and goalkeeper Matt Pickens are expected to shake off minor injuries in time to play.
Veteran center back Drew Moor will lead the Rapids defense, and is fired up ahead of this playoff clash. “It’s a one off,” Moor told the official MLS website. “The winner moves on, loser goes home. Anything can happen in games like that. We need to take advantage of our home field.”
Nigerian playmaker Emmanuel Ekpo is suspended for the Crew, while Danny O’Rourke and Tony Tchani are struggling with knee injuries and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Midfielder Robbie Rogers had already won one MLS Cup a member of the Crew, and knows his team has work ahead of them if they are to win another. “I don’t know if this team yet is mature enough, or maybe naïve on the mistakes we’ve made,” Rogers told the official MLS website. “So there’s improvement that we need to make but overall I think this season so far has been pretty successful. Anything can happen in the playoffs.”
Designated player Andres Mendoza will also be a key figure for the Crew, the Peruvian playmaker registered a total of 13 goals and two assists during the MLS regular season.
