COMMERCE CITY — The Rapids have won four straight home games by three-goal margins, something no other team has achieved in MLS history.
They’ve outscored their last four home opponents 13-1 and built momentum going into the final four weeks of the regular season.
Granted, the opponents they’ve beaten in this home hot streak have a combined record of 28-55-20. But teams like that have a way of springing upsets on the unwary.
About 90 minutes after the Rapids beat Philadelphia 4-1 Wednesday night, Chicago (7-10-8) pulled off a 3-0 upset win at San Jose (11-8-6). The events of the evening moved Colorado into fourth place in the Western Conference, with San Jose and Seattle tied for fifth, two points behind.
“The last four home games, if you look at the records of the teams we’ve played against, most people would be penciling us in for three points,” Rapids coach Gary Smith said. “If you get complacent about these teams — fortunately the guys haven’t — then it becomes a very tough night. These teams are still extremely competitive.
“You might well say, ‘You should be beating them,’ but should San Jose be beating Chicago? (San Jose’s) form has been very indifferent.”
Colorado’s last four home opponents own four of the five worst records in the league. When D.C. United comes to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night, the Rapids will have played all five. In fact, DCU has the league’s worst record (5-18-3).
“I think the guys who go out there, whoever they are, are going to be playing for the club, for the badge and for some pride,” Smith said of DCU. “I keep reading that about the group, and I’ve no reason to believe anything less.”
Fitting right in.
Forward Macoumba Kandji, whom the Rapids acquired in a trade with the New York Red Bulls for Mehdi Ballouchy two weeks ago, started at Real Salt Lake last week when Omar Cummings had a sore ankle and against Philadelphia on Wednesday night when Conor Casey served a one-game suspension.
Kandji had one assist at RSL and two Wednesday night. On the second, he was one-on-one with the goalkeeper but unselfishly fed Quincy Amarikwa for the score.
“Soccer-wise, team-wise I love it,” Kandji said of his new home. “I couldn’t ask for anything better. I like the formation, the way the coach lets you be creative.”
Kandji became expendable when New York signed French international Thierry Henry.
Home cooking.
Four weeks ago, Cummings told roommate Kosuke Kimura how frustrated he was to have only five goals.
“I told him, ‘I’m going to cook lunch and you’re going to score,’ ” Kimura said.
It worked that night, and it’s still working. Cummings has scored seven goals in his past five games. Thursday he was named MLS player of the month.
“I start cooking lunch and he starts scoring like crazy,” Kimura said. “Every home game I cook this specific chicken tomato pasta, pregame meal. It’s working, perfect.”
