There is nothing to worry about.
The wins will come. The goals will come. Despite losing 1-0 in Saturday’s crunch match against Chivas USA, the Rapids are making progress and are in the right place mentally.
That continues to be the mantra of coach Fernando Clavijo, who spent Monday afternoon at a Boulder coffeehouse while the players had the day off.
“Everybody’s mind was right,” Clavijo said of Saturday’s effort, which he praised for its promising attack and strong defending. “We’re not going to lose many if we play this way.”
Colorado (11-12-6, 39 points) holds the fourth and final playoff spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference, just three points ahead of Real Salt Lake (10-13-6).
With just three wins in their past 11 games, the Rapids would clinch a playoff spot Saturday in Foxborough, Mass., with a victory over the New England Revolution (9-8-12) and a Salt Lake loss.
If the Rapids are to clinch a playoff berth, they’ll most likely do it without playmakers Terry Cooke (knee) and Alain Nkong (knee) and defender Matt Crawford (hip).
Clavijo said Cooke and Nkong, who did not play against Chivas, could practice this week but most likely will be allowed to rest before Colorado’s final home game of the regular season, Oct. 7 against the New York Red Bulls.
“It’s not desperation just yet,” Clavijo said. “You want them to contribute in a big way, in a game that is a must-win or a playoff game.”
Without Cooke on the right side and no full-time replacement for departed left winger Dedi Ben-Dayan, the Rapids continue to use striker Nicolas Hernandez out of position.
Hernandez leads the anemic Rapids, who have not scored in 281 minutes, with seven goals.
Reserves roll
The Rapids’ reserve squad (8-3) tightened its grip on first place in the reserve division with a 4-3 victory over Chivas USA’s reserve squad Sunday at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Defender Stephen Keel, a Littleton product, scored the game-winner in the 89th minute after the home side had tied the score with a goal from Brent Whitfield in the 85th.
Whitfield finished with two goals and an own goal in the 70th minute. Melvin Tarley and Aaron King also scored.
Footnotes
D.C. United midfielder Christian Gomez was named MLS player of the week. He had a goal and two assists in United’s 4-3 victory over the Red Bulls. … MLS put the finishing touches on its eight-year broadcast deal with Univision Communications. The Spanish-language network will broadcast 25 MLS games per season, plus 10 U.S. men’s national team games and five international matches.
