Rapids Take on Baby Goats

Colorado tries to get back to its winning ways with the Under-a-Chivas in town tomorrow night. The game is at 7:30 at the Dick. The supporters groups will be tailgating as always starting at 5:30.

Official Injury Report:
OUT: DF Julien Baudet (L forearm fracture); PROBABLE: FW Conor Casey (L thigh sprain); DF Cory Gibbs (R calf strain)

Official Discipline Report:
SUSPENDED: Ugo Ihemelu (Red Card vs. Columbus)
TWO CAUTIONS FROM SUSPENSION: Mehdi Ballouchy, Ugo Ihemelu, Pablo Mastroeni, Scott Palguta

Chivas USA is hurting on all fronts. They have 2 players suspended, 6 players out with injury, 3 players questionable, and 3 players probable. This includes both their first-string and second-string keepers. The Rapids are in much better shape as you can see. My guess on the starting XI:

Pickens

Kimura - Gibbs - Palguta - Harvey
Mastroeni

Smith - Ballouchy - Clark

Cummings - Casey

If Smith isn't ready to start yet I assume LaBrocca would start in his place. Casey was named to the National Team today for the game against Mexico on Wednesday, so he must be feeling up to playing.

Key To Look For:

Winning the games were supposed to win. We're at home against a very weak and rusty Chivas side. With a win and a couple of other results we could move up as high as second in the West, and at minimum we can put some space between us and Chivas for the #4 spot. This is the type of games that good teams win.

Prediction: 2-0 win, goals by Omar Cummings and Conor Casey. With a third-string keeper the Rapids should find a way to put a couple on the board. Chivas is also missing some of its attacking power and is finding it hard to score recently, so I think that even our defense can shut them out.