When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia
TV/Radio: Altitude TV; 950 AM
Spotlight on Dominique Badji
The Rapids’ 23-year-old striker has seen an increased workload over the last month and a half, having started six of the last seven matches. He has played the full 90 minutes in the last three. Badji scored the decisive goal two weeks ago at FC Dallas in a 1-0 win, but last week he was denied on two golden chances against the San Jose Earthquakes and the game ended in a scoreless tie. “Badji was a handful all night,” Rapids captain Sam Cronin said after the match. “The next step is for him to finish those chances and be ruthless in front of goal.” The 6-foot Senegalese striker likely will play as the Rapids’ center forward again Saturday with regular starter Kevin Doyle listed as “questionable” on the injury report. Badji has three goals and an assist in 21 games (12 starts) this year.
NOTEBOOK
Rapids: Colorado (12-5-11, 47 points) is currently in third place in the Western Conference in total points, but second place on points per game with six matches remaining. Last week’s scoreless draw against San Jose extended Colorado’s unbeaten home record (9-0-5). The Rapids have allowed a league-low 24 goals in 28 games and are the only team in MLS to allow less than a goal per game. Only eight teams in league history have allowed fewer than a goal per game over a season. The Rapids lead the league in shutouts (12) and goalkeeper Tim Howard has posted a clean sheet in 54.5 percent of his starts, the best mark in MLS (minimum five shutouts). … The Rapids’ Achilles heel has been goal scoring — they have only tallied 10 goals in their last 13 league games. … Center back Bobby Burling (toe), midfielder Jermaine Jones (knee) and winger Dillon Serna (knee) are listed as “out” on the injury report.
Whitecaps: Vancouver (9-14-7, 34 points) enters the match in eighth place in the West in total points and points per game with four matches left. Vancouver lost 1-0 last Saturday after Seattle Sounders striker Jordan Morris buried a diving header in the 81st minute. Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson said he was “pig-sick” from the result because he felt his team’s performance was “spot on” and deserved better. … Vancouver has allowed 46 goals this season, most in the Western Conference. … The Whitecaps enter the match with a 5-4-5 home record. … Vancouver will be without three key players: Center back Christian Dean (knee), midfielder Russel Teibert (hamstring) and winger Kekuta Manneh (foot).
Footnotes: This is the third and final meeting between the sides this year. Colorado got a late goal from center back Axel Sjöberg to earn a 2-2 draw in the first meeting at BC Place in July. The Rapids won 2-0 in Commerce City in August. Colorado is 9-5-2 all-time against Vancouver.
