Dallas May Take Our Coach But They'll Never Take...

OUR MLS CUP!!!!

Payback Round 1 tomorrow as Colorado makes its first of two trips to Dallas to face coach until 6 months ago Oscar Pareja.  They would also face Hendry Thomas, but he's injured.  Meanwhile Jose Mari got Wednesday off and should be ready to go. :D  Apparently 120 Ciao employees will be in attendance at Toyota Stadium (known as DSG Park South come playoff time) to root for the Rapids as Ciao's American HQ is in Dallas.  Game time is 6:50 tomorrow, 30 minutes after the end of USA-Nigeria, which should give you just enough time to get dinner between the games.  Fleming and 'Celo will have the call on Altitude as the team heads into the WC break (USOC game aside).

Injury Report:

QUESTIONABLE: D Gale Agbossoumonde (lower abdominal pain); M Nathan Sturgis (right foot); F Edson Buddle (groin strain); F Vicente Sanchez (L knee strain)

No official word but I'm assuming that Torres has rejoined the team after Panama National Team duty.  That doesn't mean he's fit enough to be available though.  Dallas has 4 players out injured (including Thomas), 1 questionable, and 1 suspended so they're in worse shape than us.  George "Own Goal" John is one of the players out injured as well.  My guess at the starting XI:

I really have no idea who to expect as the 5th midfielder.  Everyone I'd consider played significant time on Wednesday.  The only other question is if O'Neill can start a 3rd game in a week, I don't doubt Moor can.  Given that the team has a 10 day break after tomorrow I think he can go.  Other than that, the rest of these players better start given the 2nd string lineup we ran out on Wednesday.

Strategic Consideration: Focusing on the game, not the grudge match.  Most of this lineup was brought to Colorado by Pareja, and almost all of them played for him last year.  Then he bailed on them.  I'm sure some of these guys want to prove a point, but getting focused on that and not on winning the game will cost us.

Prediction: 2-1 win, goals by Powers and Brown.  Dallas has been pretty good at not getting shut out during this losing streak, so I think that continues but 1 is all they get.  Meanwhile the well rested Rapids first team gets the win and proves the point(s) to Pareja.  Brown jeeps his recent run going and Powers continues his all-star season.