Rapids: Colorado is looking to end a five-game winless streak (three losses, two ties) in MLS play against the team it beat in the MLS Cup Final last November. . . . Coach Gary Smith essentially sent a reserve team to El Salvador for Wednesday’s CONCAFAF Champions League game against Isidro Metapan so his regulars could “focus firmly on (tonight’s) game against a Dallas team that we’ve always had a real battle against.” Smith didn’t even make the trip to Central America, sending assistant coach Steve Guppy so Smith could stay home and coach the regulars in training.
Dallas: Has lost three straight in MLS, all shutouts — the first string of three straight shutouts for the club since 2006. FCD hit the woodwork three times in its last MLS game, a 1-0 home loss to Houston. . . . Dallas also has struggled of late in Champions League, losing to Pumas (Mexico) 2-0 at home Sept. 21 and at Tauro (Panama) 5-3 on Wednesday. . . . Dallas can clinch a playoff spot tonight. . . . Lost 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira in the sixth game of the season to a broken ankle.
Spotlight on Brek Shea: The 21-year-old U.S. national team winger from College Station, Texas, leads FC Dallas with 10 goals and leads the league with five game-winners. Recently he was named to a list of 24 top MLS players under the age of 24 by . On a Facebook poll, fans rated him No. 1.
