Colorado Rapids defender Maynor Figueroa, who scored the tying goal against Sporting Kansas City, gestures to fans in the second half of an MLS soccer match in Commerce City, Colo., Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015. The Rapids won 2-1. (David Zalubowski, AP)
The Rapids will likely be forced to make three changes to the backline that started .
Defenders Drew Moor and Axel Sjoberg will be suspended for the Sept. 9 match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC after picking up yellow cards against Kansas City. Bobby Burling, who has started twice alongside Sean St. Ledger at center back, will be available to come back into the starting 11 after serving his one-match ban for yellow card accumulation.
Left back Maynor Figueroa, , will likely miss the match as well as he was called into the Honduran national team for matches on Sept. 4 against Venezuela and Sept. 8 against Ecuador.
Asked whether the break this weekend comes at a bad time, given the Rapids current form of three wins in eight days, Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni said it will give the team an opportunity to ramp up the intensity this week in training.
“It is what it is. There’s so much to think about and kind of prepare for. We have it all planned out,” Mastroeni said. “Sessions are just going to be a little bit more intense. It’ll allow guys like (Jared) Watts and guys like (Luis) Solignac to come to full health, which is really important as well. So always finding the silver lining in some of the situations in front of you that are less than ideal.”
The Rapids will also likely be without striker Kevin Doyle, who was , and Dillon Serna, who is .
