Home will be a relative term for the Rapids this week.
Thursday is when Colorado begins the second half of its Major League Soccer season against Chivas USA at Invesco Field at Mile High. But as the opening act to an exhibition match between Mexican clubs America and San Luis, the Rapids are expecting the crowd to turn against them.
Named for one of Mexico’s most famous clubs, Chivas USA (6-6-6) should have plenty of support from the partisan crowd expected at Invesco Field. Last season’s doubleheader included Chivas Guadalajara and Cruz Azul and attracted 28,946 people who did not root, root, root for the home team throughout its 1-1 draw.
“I expect exactly the same reception,” Rapids defender Eric Denton said.
“I think it’s great for the community. I don’t think it’s necessarily good for the home team. It’s pretty much an away game the entire second half and a little bit in the first.”
Anything that resembles an away game has been an irritation for the Rapids (7-6-3), who dropped to 1-5-1 this season on the road after Friday’s 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls.
The Rapids are tied with Chivas USA for third place in the Western Conference, despite playing two fewer games, and have not beaten the second- year franchise in their past three meetings.
Good news for Colorado is the one-game suspension of Chivas USA forward Ante Razov, who leads MLS with 11 goals. Razov picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Los Angeles.
Including a loss last week in the U.S. Open Cup, Chivas USA is winless in its past four matches after a five-game unbeaten streak.
Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo stressed the importance of a strong start against Chivas USA, a sentiment midfielder Pablo Mastroeni echoed.
“Hopefully we can put ourselves in a position to not let the crowd affect us in any way,” Mastroeni said.
Two Rapids all-stars
Mastroeni and goalie Joe Cannon were named to the 18-man roster of MLS all-stars who will face English club champion Chelsea on Aug. 5 at Toyota Park outside Chicago.
This is Mastroeni’s seventh all-star appearance and Cannon’s fourth.
Missing from the squad is Rapids midfielder Terry Cooke, who is tied for the MLS lead in assists with eight.
Clavijo for the U.S.?
Who does Clavijo think should lead the U.S. national team after the departure of coach Bruce Arena?
“Clavijo,” he said Monday with a mild laugh before throwing his support behind former German coach Juergen Klinsmann, who many say is the front-runner for the position.
Clavijo’s résumé includes two decades as a pro player, one World Cup and a stint as coach of the Haitian national team.
“My goal is to one day coach the U.S. national team in a World Cup,” Clavijo said. “Is it going to be 2010? I do not know. But I will, sooner or later.”
