(Hopefully?) Not The Last Home Game Of The Season

Tomorrow night is the home finale of the regular season but barring a complete Couging in the last two games we should have a home match in the playoffs.  We only need to draw one of the two games or have Portland not win both of their games to get a home game (and even if neither of those happen if Minnesota or Vancouver fail to win both of their games we'd still get a home game).  We do need 3 points to avoid the play-in game though, which is a bit more precarious so it would be good to get that taken care fo tomorrow.  Its going to be tough with a hot Seattle team and a still missing Cole Bassett though.  Kickoff is at 7:30 tomorrow and beforehand C38 is hosting their first Tailgate Brewfest with 8 local breweries.

Player Availability:

OUT: M Cole Bassett (quad), M Kevin Cabral (elbow)

Whatever the "precaution" that they were supposedly holding Bassett out for sure looks more like a "he's hurt but we don't want to tell anyone" at this point.

This is the exact same prediction I made for Wednesday but I don't see how this is that different than what we'll see except maybe on the wings.  We have to put our best players out there, regardless of miles on the legs, and try to get a result.

Prediction: 2-2, goals by Navarro and Mihailovic.  This seems really optimistic at this point and the 2-2 score line is becoming my go to but I can't predict a win and I can't predict a good defensive performance the way this team is playing.  I'm hopeful that the final home match and Seattle being a little tired from the 3rd game in a week will be enough to push us to at least a draw and clinching that playoff home match.  I'd hate to go into Austin in two weeks needing a result to avoid 9th place.

A Rapids Game That Went To The Dogs

Woof.  This is going to be a short recap because there's not much to say.  This team is out of energy and it shows.  After a decent first half where they got a goal just before the break from Conor Ronan they came out of the locker room flat and let the Galaxy score 3 transition goals against them.  There's just too many minutes in their legs and we are stumbling to the finish line.  It is concerning we're seeing the same defensive issues in transition in game 32 as we saw in game 1 though.  There's clearly a flaw in our defensive scheme that can be capitalized on.  It was also the first loss at home in 12 matches which wasn't great.

With the third loss in the last four games the Rapids have dropped to 6th place.  After last night's results:

1 point gained by Colorado or lost by Portland clinches a home playoff game

3 points gained by Colorado or lost by Minnesota keeps us out of the play-in game

2 points gained by LAFC or lost by Colorado eliminates us from finishing above 3rd (and having home-field advantage in the second round)

Winning out now only gets us to 5th without help.  We need other results to go our way in order to get back to the top 4 and home-field advantage in the first round

Realistically based on our play I think a 6th place finish and being eliminated in a 3-game first round series is the most likely outcome.  Still a far more successful season than expected but hard to see us going out with a whimper like this.

Really hard to pick a man of the match in these games.  The team is just so dead nobody really stands out.

Colorado Needs To Find 3 Points Against Galaxy Tomorrow

With only one win in the last three games the Rapids are on the cusp of a tailspin, something they need to stop tomorrow night in Commerce City.  It won't be easy as the Western Conference leading Galaxy (and second overall in the league) are in town.  The Galaxy can't quite clinch the West with a win but they can get very close.  If Colorado can't get the 3 points tomorrow there's a good chance they drop out of the top 4 and have to start worrying about avoiding the play-in game (there's only 5 points between the Rapids and 9th place).  Kickoff is at 7:30.

Player Availability:

OUT: M Cole Bassett (quad), M Kevin Cabral (elbow)

QUESTIONABLE: GK Adam Beaudry (upper body)

We heard over the weekend that Bassett was being held out of the Minnesota game as a precaution, but having him out again tomorrow night sounds a bit more serious than precautionary.  Good to see Sam Vines available for selection again though.

I don't think Vines goes right back into the starting XI, he'll need some training time under him.  I also think we saw the limitations of Yapi on Saturday and we'll got back to more natural wingers for this one.  Otherwise this is fairly straight forward.

Prediction: 2-2 draw, goals by Navarro and Harris.  Based on what we've seen recently I'm not sure we have the legs to keep up with the Galaxy.  The home advantage will help and I think we can battle to a draw but I'd be surprised picking up all 3 points.  A loss is more likely than a win IMO.