When considering what the Colorado Rapids approach will be to defeat Seattle Sounders FC this Sunday in their season finale, then you need only look back to last weekend’s 1-0 home win over Real Salt Lake.
RSL had 30 shots to the Rapids’ two. Nick Rimando faced one shot, while Tim Howard withstood seven. Rimando did not have to make one single save. Howard was equal to all seven of RSL’s attempts on goal.
Aside from Joshua Gatt’s well-worked early opener the Rapids, despite being at home, spent much of the 90+6 minutes on the back foot, riding their luck a little, but doggedly defending and disrupting.
They can expect to weather a Seattle storm this Sunday inside CenturyLink Field, with the Sounders still able to finish inside the top two of the Western Conference, which would be good enough to send them direct to the semifinals, thereby avoiding the play-in round.
Howard will make his first MLS appearance in Seattle, and should feature in only his second-ever game against the Sounders. He has played at CenturyLink Field for the national side, and was in between the pipes for the 3-1 home loss on July 4, when beaten twice by international teammate Clint Dempsey.
Dempsey made his 100th appearance for the Sounders in last Sunday’s 4-0 home win over FC Dallas, to become only the 10th player in club history to reach triple digits. He has 46 regular-season goals, one behind Fredy Montero for the club’s all-time record.
Seattle will be desperate for success, particularly inside their own back yard, a venue in which they have given up just three goals in the last seven games, during a run which includes back-to-back shutouts with seven goals scored.
The Rapids will be without Micheal Azira and Jared Watts for this final game of the season. Both are injured. Interim Head Coach, Steve Cooke, may be tempted to field the same 11 which started so well against RSL last time out.
That could mean a third successive start for the veteran Alan Gordon, as well as Ghanaian midfielder Nana Boateng, who has proved himself a formidable force in the last few games. If Boateng does get the nod, then it would be the most games in a row that he had started, in what has been a frustrating first season in MLS.
Albania international Shkëlzen Gashi, meanwhile, has recovered from the head cold which kept him from being a part of the win over RSL, and couldlikely to be back in the 18.
TEAM NEWS
Rapids: Micheal Azira (out - ankle), Jared Watts (out - shoulder), Mekeil Williams (questionable - ankle)
Sounders: Osvaldo Alonso (out - quad), Brad Evans (out - lower back), Jordan Morris (out - hamstring), Gustav Svensson (questionable - hamstring).
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Altitude
Radio: Altitude 950; La Invasora 87.7FM (Spanish)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Chris Penso
Assistant (bench): Mike Rottersman
Assistant (opposite): Jeremy Hanson
Fourth Official: Baboucarr Jallow
VAR: Fotis Bazakos
