Spotlight on David Estrada: Estrada opened the season with a hat trick against Toronto FC and added another goal the following week against Houston. He was one of the most prolific goal scorers in California prep annals, scoring 66 goals in one season. He scored 12 goals as a walk-on at UCLA and was Soccer America’s freshman of the year. He spent his first two seasons in Seattle as a midfielder but is thriving up front in tandem with Fredy Montero.
NOTEBOOK
Colorado: Goalkeeper Matt Pickens needs one more clean sheet to tie Joe Cannon for the most career shutouts for the Rapids (25). … Rapids are 1-2 on the road this season, having lost 2-0 at Real Salt Lake last week and 4-1 at New York on March 25. They won 2-1 at Philadelphia on March 18. … The Rapids have allowed three goals in the opening 20 minutes of their three matches on the road.
Seattle: The Sounders (2-1-1) are playing their fourth home game in five games. In their only road game this season, they tied at D.C. United last week, 0-0. … The Sounders have shut out two opponents, allowing only two goals in four games. Only Sporting K.C. has allowed fewer goals (one). The Sounders are 4-1-1 against Colorado and won both games last season. … Midfielder Steve Zakuani still hasn’t played since Brian Mullan broke his right leg with a hard tackle last April.
Footnotes: Since coming into the league as an expansion team in 2009, Seattle has scored the second-most points in MLS. Only the L.A. Galaxy has scored more.
John Meyer, The Denver Post
