And so, the Rapids return home from Kansas City to play the reigning CCL Champions Seattle Sounders on Sunday evening. I posted this in another thread, but it is worth repeating. Seattle Sounders: Currently 11th in the West, but since they won the CCL, they are 2-1-0, and starting to look strong. Their loss was 3 days after the CCL final against Pumas where they played away to a hot Dallas team that is undefeated at home Sounders just played Houston on Wednesday (in Houston) so this will be a short rest game for them as well, being their 2nd away game in a row The Rapids will be forced to play without both Trusty and Esteves after their red cards against KFC. Seattle will also be without Alex Roldan who has been a stalwart for them at RB featuring in 10 league games and all 8 of their CCL games. The El Salvadorian international's brother Cristian Roldan (who represents the USA) will be available, along with players such as Jordan Morris, Nico Lodeiro, Raul Ruidiaz, and the continual bane of the Rapids - Albert Rusnak. The former FSL DP Rusnak has yet to score or assist for Seattle this season in the MLS (he did score for them in the CCL), however, he has played a very similar role to Jack Price - not just taking their corner kicks, but sitting as a deep lying playmaker more than anything else collecting an 88.9% overall passing accuracy and a long ball success rate of 79.5%this season. Jack Price by comparison has a success rate of 88.1% and 68.6% respectively. Worth noting that in the defensive half, Rusnak has a 94.2% completion rate, and an 82.6% completion rate in the attacking half so Rusnak still gets a bit forward to help in distribution in the attack alongside Lodeiro. Jack Price by comparison sees a 94% pass success in the defensive half, vs a 71.4% pass accuracy in the attacking half. However, there are hints that Brian Schmetzer might be rotating his squad against us on Sunday: 1527344204577263617 is not a valid tweet id Pair that with the weather (supposed to be 55 degrees, humid, and cloudy) and we may see a slightly less aggressive Seattle side as this will be their 4th game in 15 days while traveling from Seattle to Dallas (~1700 miles), back to Seattle (~1700 miles), then to Houston (~1900 miles), and finally to Denver (~860 miles) - and playing at altitude is never fun even before adding in travel and weather. Refs for Sunday are below: #MLSRefStats Week 13#COLvSEAR: Tim FORDREGULAR SEASON:42 g, 3.52 Y/g, 10 R, 9 pens, 23.74 F/gHOME: 40 g, 1.73 Y/g, 5 R, 7 pens, 11.33 FC/gAWAY: 1.75 Y/g, 5 R, 2 pens, 11.98 FC/gHOME RECORD: 22 W - 11 D - 7 L (1.925 PPG)#Rapids96 #Sounders— MLS Referee Stats (@MLSRefStats) May 20, 2022 What say you? How do the Rapids fair on Sunday? Will our home form (4-0-2 in the regular season) continue to hold against a Seattle team that is starting to see their MLS season come alive after focusing on winning the CCL?
Rapids too will have to rotate a lot of their side due to injury, suspensions and fatigue. At this point we don't know the status of Zaedes.
1-1 draw, goal by Rubio. This is a bit optimistic, but we're a better team at home. Seattle is a good team, despite their record, but they're tired too and are talking about rotating their squad a bit. I think we eek out a draw to keep our home unbeaten streak going. http://view-from-the-couch.blogspot.com/2022/05/sunday-night-football.html
We're at home, so we'll win. We're playing Seattle, so we'll lose. We've been up/down/up/down this season. Last performance was a definite down, so I predict an up today and we get another win.
Zardes officially out: 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐗𝐈 🆚: Seattle Sounders FC🏟: DICK'S Sporting Goods Park⏰: 6:00 PM MT📻: @AltitudeSR, @AltitudeTV#️⃣: #COLvSEA📝: https://t.co/YnkDISGPaL@MyKingSoopers x #Rapids96 pic.twitter.com/iofCKg7wfC— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) May 22, 2022 5-3-2 maybe? Markanich - Abubakar - Wilson - Rosenberry - Beitashour Acosta - Price - Kaye Rubio - Barrios Or 3-4-1-2 with a middle triangle of Kaye Acosta and Price and Beita/Markanich asked to push up as wing backs / wingers? Who knows. Would be nice to have a positional lineup.
We hope it’ll be 3-5-2 with Beitashour and Markanich playing more like wings than backs. But I’m afraid that we’ll get pinned back a lot and have to play on the counter.
If Morris had a left foot we’d be down a goal. Hitting that cross with his right took it away from Ruidiaz.
If Lewis gets credit for the goal, that will be the shortest goal I've ever seen. Either way, I appreciate Owen Goal's efforts on the play.
Rosenberry looks very uncomfortable playing on the left side. Would like to see Moor come in, maybe for Markanich, and get folks where they play best.
Really don't like Ruidiaz. Respect him as a player, and wish we had somebody who could put the ball in the net like he does, but he's a tool. Double log roll after negligible contact, then follows the ref around to yell at him, then the play gets reviewed but the original call stands. Just shut up and play.
Extra time on extra time as Rapids make 2 subs in 96'. But it's not enough and the Rapids hold on for 3 points! For me, the match really came down to 3 plays. Lalas saved Morris' weak shot, Owen Goal scored/assisted for us, and the PK wasn't given.
We played a drinking game where everyone took a drink (the kid had soda) when Balboa repeated his last sentence. We had to quit at halftime because tomorrow is a workday. Even with that, I'll still take our announce team over any other in the league.
Gotta say, I like what I see with Markanich. He does NOT look like a rookie. Getting physical with challenges, pinging quick passes, getting into good positions. Obviously he’s got rust, but that will polish off over time. Overall tho, I think he’s a great pickup at LB.
We have Seattle’s number. If my math is correct, that’s our 32nd regular season match vs Seattle. I believe we are 21W-2T-9L. 13 wins at Dick’s. 8 at Seattle. 2 draws home & away. The Rapids are Seattle’s problem child.
Also, shoutout to these defensive Just not on July 4th, as Fleming was so kind to remind everyone on the broadcast tonight lol
Tonight's @HealthONEsystem Man of the Match? None other than William Yarbrough 🧤#Rapids96 pic.twitter.com/vLMEUQm1fR— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) May 23, 2022
Allll the highlights from tonight's win👇 pic.twitter.com/KFukBoDBSa— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) May 23, 2022
Another surprisingly dominant performance, especially in the first half. Could not agree more with the above about Ruidiaz. Tool is exactly what he is: El Instrumento! Yarbrough was rightly MOTM. But Markanich was the revelation of the match--calm, confident, and delivered at least 3 sweet crosses that should have been converted. I will watch him with interest from here on out.