Neutral Site Home Game Against Liga MX

Leagues Cup action comes to the Dick tomorrow night for a "neutral site" game.  Because Toluca is a seeded team and the Rapids are now, technically the Rapids aren't the home team, which is why you won't see things like the Oar presentation and such.  CONCACAF gonna CONCACAF.  Regardless Colorado will get the advantage of playing in their own stadium (I wonder, do they have to use the visitor's locker room?) against a touch Liga MX team that beat Nashville 4-3 on Thursday.

That result really only leaves one way through for the Rapids, a 2 goal win.  Technically a very high scoring 1-goal win (5-4 for example) would get them through as they surpass Nashville's goal scored, but this is a team that's scored a total of 5 goals in the last two months, they aren't going to double that total tomorrow.  So a 2-goal win is the only option.

Of course we'll have to do this without our new signing Navarro, who still doesn't have his visa.  I have to wonder why the Rapids, who apparently even paid for the expedited process, can't get their player's paperwork while at least 10 other teams have signed players who need similar paperwork around the start of this transfer window and have already had them in the gameday roster for the Leagues Cup.  This isn't the first time this has happened to Colorado either.  Is it just bad luck?  Are we choosing players that for some reason aren't quickly approved?  Are we doing something wrong in the paperwork?  Are other teams getting help we're not?  Regardless, its even harder to see us scoring 5 goals when Navarro is out and Rubio and Lewis are Questionable.

Kickoff tomorrow is at 7:30, like normal.  I expect a pro-Toluca crowd, if out prior games against Liga MX teams are anything to go by.

Availability Report:

OUT: D Michael Edwards (lower body injury), D Alex Gersbach (lower body injury), M Max (unavailable), F Rafael Navarro (awaiting visa)

QUESTIONABLE: D Lalas Abubakar, M Jonathan Lewis (lower body injury), F Diego Rubio (upper body injury)

Might as well put out the best XI we can.  There's a pretty good chance there's going to be 3 weeks off after this game.  I supposed we could see Wilson instead of Bombito but otherwise, I think that's the XI.

Prediction: 0-0 draw, Rapids lose in the Shootout.  Toluca know they win the group with a draw, and they played on Thursday night in Nashville.  They essentially win the group with any loss where they score too.  I don't expect them to go too hard in this game and, well, the Rapids can't score.  So we're going to get another scoreless draw at the Dick and that will do it for the Leagues Cup.  Given our luck scoring and saving PKs I don't expect us to win a Shootout.