The Rapids are going back to Texas.
Colorado’s cardiac season will head to Houston this week in a one-game playoff against the second-seeded Dynamo to decide Major League Soccer’s Western Conference champion.
The game will be Sunday at Robertson Stadium. The game initially was scheduled for 4 p.m. MST, but Rapids’ director of communication Jurgen Mainka said the Dynamo was trying to move the start time back.
The Dynamo defeated Chivas USA 2-0 on Sunday with goal from Brian Ching in stoppage time to win the aggregate-scoring series 3-2.
Colorado was 1-2-1 this season against the Dynamo, which won MLS Cups as the San Jose Earthquakes in 2003 and 2001, the latter with current Rapids keeper Joe Cannon in goal.
“We’re ready to go,” said Cannon, who was teammates with current Dynamo stars Dwayne DeRosario and Wade Barrett.
Perhaps it’s only fitting the Rapids’ season will once again be put on the line in the Lone Star State.
Colorado went into Houston on Oct. 14 needing a tie or a victory to secure a playoff berth for the fifth consecutive season. The Rapids rallied from one- goal deficits three times for a 3-3 draw to secure the No. 4 seed and set up a first-round matchup against top-seeded FC Dallas.
The Rapids shocked FC Dallas in another penalty shootout Saturday to advance to the Western Conference final for the second consecutive season. The Rapids lost that game last year 2-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy, which went on to defeat the New England Revolution in the MLS Cup final.
Although Colorado won just twice on the road during the regular season, coach Fernando Clavijo believes – with good reason – everything has changed.
“One game can change a whole season for all of us,” Clavijo said. “One game we can erase everything we did not do throughout the year. We have always performed under pressure. To be honest with you, we do well every time with our backs to the wall.”
Houston drilled the Rapids 5-2 in the season-opener at Robertson Stadium on April 2. The Rapids lost 1-0 to Houston at Invesco Field at Mile High on April 29 and beat Houston 1-0 at home on July 26 behind Nicolas Hernandez’s goal.
Ching and De Rosario give the Dynamo two of the best scorers in MLS. Houston also boasts standout goalie Pat Onstad and talented midfielders Brad Davis and Brian Mullan, who starred at Regis High School, where he was the Gatorade player of the year in 1997.
With a victory Sunday, the Rapids would return to Texas on Nov. 12 for the MLS Cup final at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco.
Colorado’s only trip to the final was a 2-1 loss at RFK Stadium to D.C. United in 1997.
