Overlooked most of the Major League Soccer season, the Rapids made the playoffs as the seventh seed. After defeating Columbus and San Jose, coach Gary Smith’s team beat FC Dallas for the MLS Cup.
They came together from various places — France, Jamaica, Senegal, Dallas, Boston. And Denver. With a coach, Gary Smith, from England. What they formed was a Major League Soccer champion. The Rapids on Sunday stunned a league that had dismissed them most of the season, winning the MLS Cup in a 2-1 overtime thriller over FC Dallas. Conor Casey, a Denver South High School grad, and late substitution Macoumba Kandji spearheaded the goals. But the entire team was able to celebrate with the Anschutz Trophy in Toronto, site of the championship game. They returned to Denver on Monday, before a downtown party Tuesday at Skyline Park.
