Rapids fans aren’t the only ones who like what they’ve seen in the team this season. So does San Jose coach Frank Yallop.
Yallop’s Earthquakes face Colorado at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night with a berth in the MLS Cup final awaiting the winner. Yallop says he enjoys watching Colorado play, at least when his team isn’t involved.
“They’re dynamic going forward,” Yallop said. “The quickness of the passes they play is good to watch. I think they’re crisp, clean, they move the ball sharply, they have good movement off the ball and they’re dynamic in the final third. When the two forwards get going, they’re very good to watch. They’ve done a great job of building that team.”
The Quakes got into the playoffs as the eighth and final seed, with the same point total as Colorado (46). Colorado claimed the seventh seed on a tiebreaker and eliminated Columbus, the second seed in the Eastern Conference. San Jose upset New York, the first seed in the Eastern Conference, winning 3-1 on the road after dropping the first game 1-0 in San Jose.
The Earthquakes hope to repeat a feat achieved by Real Salt Lake last season: winning the MLS title from the eighth seed.
“San Jose, I’m sure, will be very confident after the fabulous win in New York,” Rapids coach Gary Smith said. “Looking at their stats across the season, their away form has been very decent (6-5-4). I would think, given the environment they’re coming into, they’ll feel pretty decent about the way things have gone for them, but I’m sure they’ll also realize this isn’t an easy place to come. We’ll be doing our utmost to make the game as tough as possible.”
The Rapids have reached the MLS Cup final only once, in 1997, the second year of the league’s existence. They were defeated 2-1 in the final by D.C. United at RFK Stadium. They have lost three times in the semifinals.
Colorado cut it close Saturday, needing a penalty-kick shootout to eliminate Columbus, but the mood at training Tuesday was bright despite rain and sleet.
“The guys have had a couple of days to rest some weary limbs, and everybody looked pretty enthused and confident,” Smith said. “It’s a very buoyant atmosphere after such an exciting victory.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
Conference final
Who: San Jose Earthquakes at Colorado Rapids
What: MLS conference final
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
Tickets: Available at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park box office, calling 303-825-GOAL, at the kiosks at any Colorado Dick’s Sporting Goods location, or online at or
