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Colorado Rapids

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June 20, 2005 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


CUNNINGHAM'S HAT TRICK- Jeff Cunnigham's three goals against Chivas USA last Saturday marked the first career hat trick for the Jamaican-born nine-year MLS veteran. His 8 goal total this season places him in first place of the goalscoring charts in MLS. The last time a Rapids player scored a hat trick was July 4th, 2002, when Chris Carrieri's three goals lifted the Rapids against the Chicago Fire. The only other time that a Black and Blue striker netted three goals was in 2001 when John Spencer netted three goals against DC United, also on the July 4th game of that year.

CELEBRATING THE TEAM OF THE DECADE: Continuing with the celebration of the Colorado Rapids' 10th anniversary season, the Black and Blue unveiled on June 10th, the names of the players of the inaugural "Colorado Rapids Team of the Decade", as voted by fans in an online process on the team's webpage, www.coloradorapids.com. Fans from around the world had the opportunity to vote for their favorite Rapids players from the club's all time roster from 1996-2005, which included every single player to ever appear on a Colorado Rapids team roster. All eleven players composing the Rapids Team of the Decade have been invited back to Colorado to be honored at a halftime ceremony that will take place this Saturday June 25, 2005, at INVESCO Field at Mile High during the Rapids' home game against FC Dallas. The team of the decade is composed of: Joe Cannon (GK), Steve Trittschuh (DEF), Robin Fraser (DEF), Nat Borchers (DEF), Marcelo Balboa (DEF), Carlos Valderrama (MID), Pablo Mastroeni (MID), Chris Henderson (MID), Mark Chung (MID), John Spencer (FWD) and Paul Bravo (FWD)

O DANNY BOY: Rapids defender Dan Gargan, who played in his second MLS match this past Saturday, against Chivas USA, earned his first career assist on Jeff Cunningham's third goal of the day. Gargan, who had made his Colorado Rapids and Major League Soccer debut against the Galaxy only four days before, played a long throw-in to Cunningham that caught the Chivas backline by surprise in the 78th minute. Cunningham then carried the ball 15 yards before beating the Chivas goalkeeper to his lower left corner with a soft, but well-placed shot.

CLIMBING THE TABLE: After accumulating six points in a four-day span, the Rapids are currently alone in fourth place in Major League Soccer's Western Conference. The team is currently three points ahead of fifth place Real Salt Lake and eight ahead of Chivas USA. The four best records in each conference qualify for the playoffs at the end of the regular season.

RESERVE LEAGUE STANDINGS: At the halfway point of the inaugural season of the MLS Reserve League, the Rapids Reserves are tied in 8th place with eight points and they are five points behind the first place Los Angeles Galaxy. The Rapids Reserves (2-2-2, 8pts.) will host FC Dallas's Reserves (2-2-1, 7pts.) on Sunday, June 26 at 10:00 a.m. at the Rapids Training Facility in Westminster, CO.

HUNTER FREEMAN AND U-20 USMNT: After upsetting Argentina in the first game at the World Youth Championship in Holland and tying Germany 0-0 last Tuesday, the US Under-20 National Team defeated Egypt 1-0 to qualify for the next round of the international competition. The Rapids' Hunter Freeman has played the full 90 minutes in all three games for the United States and is expected to start in the Round of Sixteen's match against Italy that will be played tomorrow in Enschede, Holland.

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