First Place On The Line On Decision Day

For only the second time in their history the Rapids go into Decision Day with a shot at winning the West (2016 was the other).  This time the task is a little harder as not only do they need a win, but they need 2 other results (name Seattle and SKC not winning).  to break down the possibilities:

• Rapids lose - Rapids finish 3rd
• Rapids draw - Rapids finish 3rd unless SKC loses to FSL, then Rapids finish 2nd, clinch CCL spot
• Rapids win - 
• And Seattle and SKC win - Rapids finish 3rd
• One of Seattle and SKC win - Rapids finish 2nd, clinch CCL spot
• Neither Seattle or SKC win - Rapids win the West, clinch CCL spot

All games kickoff at the same time.   Seattle is in Vancouver while SKC is hosting FSL.

Of course what happens in those games only matters if Colorado takes care of business against LAFC tomorrow.  LAFC needs a win and a lot of help to make the playoffs (as does FSL, while Vancouver just needs a draw to clinch a playoff spot) so they're going to play desperate.  Kickoff tomorrow is scheduled for 4pm but will really be 4:25 as with all games kicking off simultaneously the nationally televised game will have 20 minutes of pregame before the games start.  The Rapids are yet again still only on Altitude.

Injury Report:

QUESTIONABLE: D Keegan Rosenberry

Disciplinary Report:

ONE CAUTION FROM FINE: D Lalas Abubakar, M Collen Warner

If Abubakar or Warner were to get a yellow tomorrow they would only get fined as if they had reached a suspension, no actual suspension carries over into the playoffs or to game one of 2022.  Any red card assessed tomorrow would result in suspension for the first playoff game.

This isn't exactly the formation I expect but it was best the app could do.  We could see Beitashour instead of Esteves, or we could see Acosta play wing back again.  Regardless, there's no tomorrow and there's been a week of rest.  There's no reason not to start our best XI (other than Rosenberry) as we're guaranteed at least 2 weeks off after this and possibly more.

Prediction: 2-0 win, goals by Badji and Barrios.  The Rapids will not make the fans sweat on this one, getting a multi-goal lead and then fending off LAFC's desperate attacks.  However things won't go quite as well as hoped in the other matches.  Vancouver gets the draw we're hoping for, allowing us to jump Seattle for 2nd, but KC puts a beating on FSL to win the West on the total wins tiebreaker over Colorado 18-17.