COMMERCE CITY — For Todd Dunivant, there’s no place like far from home.
Dunivant, a defender with Toronto FC who graduated from Dakota Ridge High School in 1999 before college at Stanford and Major League Soccer stops in San Jose, Los Angeles and New York, is loving his second season with the expansion club. Especially its vibrant supporters.
With a diverse urban population feeding the turnstiles and four passionate fan groups in full voice, BMO Field is in a class by itself when it comes to atmosphere and ticket demand in MLS.
The Reds (5-4-2), who are unbeaten at home this season, welcome the Rapids (5-6) on Saturday as a depleted Colorado team tries to snap its three-game road losing streak.
“The fan base that we have is just incredible. It’s a demographic that is unique to our team,” Dunivant said. “I think MLS in general has to cater a lot to youth clubs and families. I think our crowd is a lot more Eurocentric. . . . You get a passion you don’t necessarily get when you have the families.”
It’s a place Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo has mixed emotions about. He is concerned inexperienced referees may favor the vocal home crowd, but admits the savvy crowd is something every soccer player loves.
Passion — and the lack thereof — is something Dunivant sees in the Rapids, who can overwhelm teams when they have energy and underwhelm everyone when they’re flat.
“The Rapids are a difficult team to play against,” he said. “They are unpredictable and can be absolutely brilliant at times.”
With captain Pablo Mastroeni (U.S. national team) out, the Rapids will be in need of some emotional glue. How about veteran Christian Gomez?
“I don’t see myself as vocal and emotional,” Gomez said through a translator, “and even if I did, probably half the guys would never understand what I’m saying.”
Skeleton defense.
The Rapids will be without defenders Facundo Erpen (suspension) and Ugo Ihemelu (Canadian national team) on Saturday. Left back Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. (groin) was limited in practice Thursday.
Littleton native Stephen Keel likely will start because the Rapids will play a four-man defensive shape at Toronto. He would partner Rafael Gomes in center with Kosuke Kimura on right and Jordan Harvey left.
“You want to make sure we’re tight first of all, make sure we’re not conceding anything over the top or through balls, and go forward from there,” Keel said.
Ihemelu was contacted by the U.S., Canada and Nigeria last week about national-team duty and picked Canada. Since he has been in the U.S. camp before, Ihemelu is not yet clear to play for Canada, although he is practicing with the team in Florida.
Ballouchy grounded.
Midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy will not travel with the team as he continues to battle problems with his passport.
