Thursday, August 25, 2016

Time To Retain The Rocky Mountain Cup

Need I say more?

The Rapids have gone west to face FaKe SaLt LaKe over in Sandy with the Rocky Mountain Cup and their standing in the Supporters Shield race on the line.  A win or a draw and the supporters will be bringing the RMC right back to Colorado again, a loss and not only do we lose the RMC but we have to really start looking over our shoulders at LA and FSL creeping up on us.  Game time tomorrow is an earlier 6pm and the game is on Univision Deportes and UniMas for national television.  No English broadcast that I'm aware of.  This is the kickoff of the second Heineken Rivalry Weekend of the season and Heineken and MLS are sponsoring a watch party at Stoney's.  There's also a C38 watch party for those of us who didn't make the road trip at the Celtic, which is where I'll be.

Player Availability:
OUT: M Dillon Serna (season ending ACL tear)
QUESTIONABLE: D Sean St. Ledger (knee); M Jermaine Jones (quad)

FSL has 3 players out, one questionable, and one suspended (Beltran) so they're in worse shape than we are.  Jones is not available tomorrow and I doubt we see St. Ledger.

Starting XI Prediction:

I'd prefer to see Azira over Powers but I bet Pablo sticks with the same lineup from the last couple of days.  This assumes that the rumored knock that Doyle had last week doesn't stop him from playing.  If it does I hope we see Gashi up front with Pappa behind him.

Prediction: 1-1 draw, goal by Hairston.  This feels a bit pessimistic to me as I think FSL and their shaky defense can be beaten but strange things happen in the RMC.  Given our lack of offense and our long-time frustration at Rio Tinto I'm going to think a draw is more likely, and something I'd be happy with.

2 comments:

Jester said...

Unimas has English commentary on the SAP. Paul Caligiuri(sp) is one of the announcers.

Jason Maxwell said...

It hasn't been working for me on Comcast this year (though it did last year). Not sure why.