Rapids Try To Wash Out The Timbers

You're getting an early game preview this week as I'm preparing for a road trip to Portland to watch this game in person! Somewhere between 80 and 100 Rapids fans will be in the upper SW corner of Jeld-Wen field supporting Colorado and hoping they can continue their team-record 8-game undefeated streak. For those of you staying behind kickoff is at 8:30pm and the game is on Galavision and Altitude.

Injury Report:

OUT: MF Davy Armstrong(concussion); FW Macoumba Kandji (L knee ACL tear)

QUESTIONABLE: FW Omar Cummings (R ankle sprain); DF Marvell Wynne (R hamstring strain)

PROBABLE: FW Quincy Amarikwa (L ankle sprain); FW Caleb Folan (R groin strain); MF Joseph Nane (R shoulder strain); GK Matt Pickens (R groin strain); MF Jamie Smith (L calf strain)

Disciplinary Report:

SUSPENDED: MF Brian Mullan (2 games)

SUSPENDED AFTER 2 MORE CAUTIONS: FW Conor Casey; DF Tyrone Marshall; MF Pablo Mastroeni; DF Drew Moor; DF Anthony Wallace

International Absences: MF Sanna Nyassi (The Gambia)

The Rapids are getting healthier, but still aren't there yet. The Timbers only have 2 players that are questionable or worse, so they'll be at close to full strength. What Smith is going to do with the lineup is still hard to pin down, but here's my guess:

Pickens

Kimura - Moor- Marshall - Wallace

Thompson- Mastroeni - Larentowicz - Smith

Casey - Folan

Smith seems to be favoring tHompson over some other choices, so I think he'll start (I'd prefer to see LaBauex). Folan seems like he should be back to his starting spot, possibly being subbed out around 60 minutes for Omar Cummings?.

Key To Look For: Getting the lead and holding it for more than 5 minutes. We've only does that once int he last 3 games, and we can't afford to dig a hole we need to get out of in front of the crowd they have in Portland.

Prediction: 1-1 draw, goal by Casey. Stop me if you've heard this before. ;) I see the Rapids once again taking a lead and once again not being able to hold it. Portland is a hard place to get a win, but they haven't looked impressive recently. Colorado will continue both their team-record undefeated and their league-record draw streaks in this one.