MLS Colorado Rapids

Rapids notes

Published on April 1, 2005 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


Clavijo's Return: Rapids Head Coach Fernando Clavijo returns to MLS to coach his first official game since May 22, 2002. When the Rapids take the field against Kansas City, it will have been 1,045 days since the former United States National Team defender led an MLS team from the sidelines. Leo Cullen and Wolde Harris, two of the current Rapids players, played for Clavijo in that game back in 2002, with Harris scoring a goal for New England in that match.

Opening Ground for His Country: Israeli defender Guy Melamed has a lot to be happy about this week. The Israeli National Team tied Ireland 1-1 and France 1-1 in European World Cup Qualifiers and is on the right track to possibly clinch a place in the 2006 World Cup. In the MLS, Melamed will become the first Israeli native to play in an official MLS game when he takes the field in the center of the Black and Blue defense on Saturday. The 6-1 defender served three years in the Israeli Special Forces right out of high school before coming to the United States to play soccer for the Boston College Eagles, where he was spotted by the Rapids Coaching staff prior to the 2005 MLS SuperDraft (he was selected by the Black and Blue with the team's first pick).

The Safe Confines of Home: The Colorado Rapids trained today at INVESCO Field at Mile High after exactly 160 days since the last time they set foot on the pitch. The Black and Blue held a 7-1-7 record at INVESCO Field in 2004, which included a 10-game undefeated streak. The team will put that streak on the line when they host FC Dallas and their attacking tandem of Eddie Lewis and Carlos "El Pescadito" Ruiz on Saturday, April 9th at 7:00 p.m. (MT).

Wearing the Jersey for the First Time: When the Rapids kick off their 10th Major League Soccer Season this upcoming Saturday, April 2nd at Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Wizards, the Black and Blue will have a potential of five players making their MLS debut. Midfielders Alain Nkong, Terry Cooke and Martin Morales, along with defenders Guy Melamed and Hunter Freeman will all be dressed for the match and awaiting the call to action by Head Coach Fernando Clavijo.

The Captain is Back: Colorado Rapids Team Captain Pablo Mastroeni, who played 70 minutes in the United States' 2-1 Cup Qualifying loss to Mexico at Azteca Stadium and 90 minutes in the American's 2-0 win over Guatemala in Birmingham, will join the Rapids today and will be available to play for the Black and Blue in their game against Kansas City this weekend.

International Gathering: With the signing of midfielders Alain Nkong and Terry Cooke and forward Wolde Harris, the Rapids have gathered players from 8 different countries on their current roster. The 8 different nationalities are represented as follows: Haitian striker Jean Philippe Peguero, Uruguayan midfielder Martin Morales, the Jamaican duo of Wolde Harris and Jeff Cunningham, Englishman Terry Cooke, Cameroon International Alain Nkong, Israeli Defender Guy Melamed, Canada native Mark Chung and Argentina-born Pablo Mastroeni. With some of them having green cards and other having acquired United States citizenship, only four of them are considered Senior Internationals: Cooke, Melamed, Nkong and Morales.

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Major League Soccer Stories from April 1, 2005


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