On April 13th, Sporting KC welcomes the Colorado Rapids to Children’s Mercy Park for each team’s sixth match of the 2016 MLS season. The match takes place on the 20th anniversary of each of these original MLS teams inaugural league match, April 13th, 1996 when the Colorado Rapids went to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Wiz.
Each team comes into the game on three days rest after playing on Saturday. Sporting KC come off a 2-0 win against New York Red Bulls which featured two lovely goals, one from Benny Feilhaber and a clever goal that came on a long throw for Dom Dwyer. The match also featured a spectacular penalty save from Sporting keeper Tim Melia.
Sporting KC Captain Graham Zusi has been in great form so far this season. (Photo Credit: Graham Green)
The Rapids traveled to Real Salt Lake on Saturday and lost in agonizing fashion to their regional rivals. Colorado Keeper Zac MacMath came off his line when he should have stayed in goal letting Joao Plata in behind for the easiest goal Plata has ever taken. Having a match just 4 days later might be the best medicine for Colorado, the sooner they can put Saturday’s blunder out of their mind and move forward, the better.
Sporting KC currently sit on top of the Supporter’s Shield rankings, sitting in first place in the Western Conference with a record of 4-1-0. Colorado slipped from fourth to sixth place in the West with a record of 2-2-1.
Sporting KC will go into the match heavily favored and when you look at their line-up it’s clear why. To see Graham Zusi, Benny Feilhaber and Dom Dwyer running at you in attack is as intimidating as it gets in MLS. Matt Besler also looks to be back in the line-up after he missed the match against New York Red Bulls. Besler was out against New York because he sustained a concussion while playing with the U.S. Men’s National Team against Guatemala. Besler passed concussion protocol on Monday and returned to practice, so he should feature against the Rapids. Brad Davis should also be available for selection though KC will be without Soni Mustivar, Justin Mapp, Kevin Ellis and Chance Myers.
For Colorado the team will most likely be unchanged from the side that lost the Real Salt Lake. The one player that may be switched out is Luis Solignac, who may sit if Pablo Mastroeni elects for to play Dominique Badji as the main striker. Badji’s pace could create some problems for the KC defense but it’s more likely that Badji would come in off the bench to replace one of the Rapid wingers later in the match. Jermaine Jones will miss the game, his final game, due to suspension. Kevin Doyle is still out due to a shin injury and the Rapids will be without defenders Jared Watts, Marlon Hairston and Sean St. Ledger.
The match features two teams tied for the best defense in MLS so far this season, so it’s difficult to imagine a high scoring game. Sporting playing at home will look to keep the ball in Colorado’s defensive half and there will be a lot of pressure on Colorado’s holding midfielders Sam Cronin and Michael Azira to break up the Sporting attack as well as form the foundation of Colorado’s offense. If those two players can accomplish the difficult task of winning the ball and playing smart passes to the wings and to Dillon Powers, Colorado may stand a chance against the Western Conference leaders.
Colorado Keeper Zac MacMath has dropped five points on his own early into the 2016 season. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
Rapids keeper Zac MacMath gave the game against Salt Lake away on Saturday, he also bundled an easy save against D.C. United that resulted in a goal and a draw a few weeks ago. That’s five points so far this season that MacMath is responsible for dropping. Zac knows that his days as Colorado’s first choice keeper are numbered, on July 4th Tim Howard will take over for him and it’s almost as if this knowledge has zapped every ounce of confidence MacMath had. He hesitates too often, makes questionable decisions and his mistakes are piling up.
Sporting would be smart to test MacMath with crosses and balls over the top early and often. Don’t give MacMath easy saves to build some confidence at the beginning of the match, but send in balls from the wings that will tease the keeper into coming off his line. If Brad Davis plays, look for him to send in some dangerous balls from free kick opportunities that could punish the Rapids.
20 years ago to the day, in their first ever matchup, Kansas City beat the Rapids 3-0 at Arrowhead Stadium. Team names, colors and stadiums have changed, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the score line at the end of these two teams 56th league meeting is the same as the first.
