Rapids Face Own Battle Of New Orleans

Andrew Jackson and Company take on the British

200 years ago this year the War of 1812 started.  On Christmas Eve 1814 the Treaty of Ghent, ending hostilities, was signed.  Due to the slow pace of communication in the 1800's New Orleans didn't find out about the treaty until after the Americans defended the city from the British on January 8th, 1815.  A battle fought when the war had already finished, with many thinking the British had won.

Tomorrow the Rapids face their own Battle of New Orleans as they meet FSL at home in the final game of the Rocky Mountain Cup, a prize already won for the year by FSL.  So despite the war for the Cup being over there's still one last battle to fight.  Let's hope that, much like Andrew Jackson and the Americans in the Big Easy, the losing team wins the final fight. (In reality the War of 1812 was more like a draw and in the long term the U.S. got most of the things out of the war they were aiming for).

Game time tomorrow is 7pm on Altitude, with the tailgate starting at 5.  With Balboa calling Olympic soccer for NBC Pablo Mastroeni will be doing color on the broadcast.

Injury Report:
OUT: MF Pablo Mastroeni (headache symptoms); DF Anthony Wallace (L Achilles tear)
QUESTIONABLE: FW Conor Casey (L hamstring tightness); FW Edu (R foot contusion)
PROBABLE: FW Omar Cummings (L ankle sprain); Jamie Smith (R ACL tear)

Disciplinary Report:
SUSPENDED AFTER NEXT 2 YELLOWS: MF Jaime Castrillon; DF Tyrone Marshall; MF Martin Rivero; DF Tyson Wahl

No change in the injury or disciplinary report from last week.  FSL is missing 3 players including Olave so they're about as hurt as we are.  My guess at the starting XI:

Casey - Cummings

Rivero - Larentowicz - Nane - Mullan

Wahl - Marshall - Wynne - Moor

Pickens

At this point you could put all the defenders names in a hat and draw 4 and have as good of a chance of being right as I do.  I really don't know what we'll see.  I don't expect changes elsewhere though.

Key To Look For: This section is on hiatus until we actually win.

Prediction: 1-1 draw, goal by Casey.  This is pure wishful thinking on my part, I have nothing to back it up other than the losing streak has to end sometime, so why not this week at home against a FSL team that travelled to Costa Rica in midweek for CCL play?