Rapids Clinch Playoffs, On Verge Of Clinching Home Game

A strong performance on Saturday night booked Colorado's spot in the playoffs.  Combined with the other results we were a late Galaxy goal way from clinching a home playoff match.  That will come in due time.  For a battle between 3rd and 4th place Portland was awfully flat the whole match and it never felt like they were going to win this game, but given the Rapids track record this year it wasn't until the second goal that you felt like they weren't going to give points away.  One of the better all-around games of the season.

Random Musings:

• The big disappointment was seeing Namli out injured again, and Rosenberry injured.  I think this is the first  start Rosenberry has missed since arriving in Colorado for non-COVID reasons.  Meanwhile our million dollar DP has made 5 of 31 starts this season.
• It felt like a big night in C38.  From the opening whistle there was an increased energy in 117 that we hadn't had in a while.
• Somehow Dominique Badji has turned into a great backup striker.  3 goals in 2 starts and 225 total minutes since he returned to Commerce City.  And its hard to believe at times but he just turned 29 years old last weekend, so he could be around for a while.  He's already moved up to a tie with Wolde Harris for 6th all-time in career scoring for the Rapids.
• Portland had one shot with an Expected Goals of 5.52%.  Everything else was under 5%.  Yarbrough had an easy night.
• I'm not sure how much Rubio really knew about his shot that went in.  Galvan's cross was headed by a Timbers' defender right onto Rubio's head and into the goal.  To be fair to Diego he did appear to try to put some force behind it but it was a bang-bang play and I think he could have just stood there and he would have scored.
• Ok, lets talk playoffs.  The Rapids have clinched no worse than 5th place.  With 1 more point, or a point lost by Portland and the Galaxy they'll clinch a top 3 finish in the West and a home playoff match.  (Portland or the Galaxy dropping a point would clinch 4th and a home match).  I expect to get that done no later than this weekend, maybe by Wednesday night.
• With 4 more points 9or points dropped by Nashville and Philly) they'll clinch a top 4 overall finish in the league.  This is important because the top 3 will all get a Concacaf Champions League position, and if the MLS Cup winner has already qualified for the CCL, the 4th best team would get a CCL spot.
• Looking at the remaining schedules for Seattle and Kansas City I think its unlikely we catch one (or both) of them for a top 2 spot.  Seattle shouldn't struggle to get 7 points in their last 3 games, which would put them out out our reach.  KC will probably get 9 points, which means the best we could do is tie them and KC has the tiebreaker.  With 4 games we need KC to drop at least two games to have any real chance of catching them.
• Of course doing any of that requires us to beat New England on a cold Boston Wednesday night.  The Revs wrapped up the Shield over the weekend and have almost nothing left to play for, but a win in one of their final 2 games would give them the all-time points record for MLS.
• We don't know yet which day the Rapids would host a playoff match, but it will be one of Nov 20th, 21st, or 23rd.

Man of the Match: Braian Galvan.  2 assists made this an easy pick.  He's settling in now in MLs and I'm really looking for a big year from him in 2022.