Rapids Season Opener Tomorrow Night
April 2, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release
COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: The Colorado Rapids 2004 season starts tomorrow night! The 2004 Home Opener is in only 15 days! Are you ready?
Look for a brand-new improved version HTML version of the RapidFire e-newsletter starting next week, which will coincide with the re-launching of the equally new and improved Official Rapids Website, www.coloradorapids.com , which will go live very shortly!
1.) RAPIDS TO HOST VIEWING PARTY SATURDAY NIGHT FOR RAPIDS AT DALLAS BURN
Join the Rapids and Colorado's soccer fans tomorrow (Saturday) night for the first Official Rapids Viewing Party of 2004!
WHAT: Rapids Viewing Party for 2004 Season Opener: Rapids at Dallas Burn
WHEN: Tomorrow night, Saturday, April 3rd, Kickoff at 6:30pm on Fox Sports
Rocky Mountain
WHERE: Celtic Tavern, located at 1801 Blake Street (corner of 18th and
Blake in Lodo)
WHO: Free to Rapids Fans 21 and Over
WHY: To watch the Rapids take on Dallas in the first match of the 2004
Rapids MLS season!
For more information on the viewing party, call the Rapids at (303) 405-6123. Otherwise we will see you there tomorrow night for the match! For more info. on the Celtic Tavern and driving directions, click here: www.celtictavern.com
2.) RAPIDS VS. DALLAS BURN GAME NOTES FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2004
LAST MEETING VS. DALLAS
October 25, 2003
Dragon Stadium, Southlake, Texas
Rapids 3, Burn 4
Rapids Close Out Regular Season With 4-3 Loss Against Dallas
SOUTHLAKE, Texas â The Colorado Rapids dropped a 4-3 decision to the Dallas Burn at Dragon Stadium in the team's last game of the 2003 regular season. After an early John Spencer strike, the Burn hit for four goals over a 20-minute period to carry a three-goal lead into the halftime break, then weathered a fierce second-half storm from the Rapids that saw a second goal from Spencer early in the period and late strike from Matt Crawford - his first professional goal - but Dallas held on for just their sixth win of the campaign.
The four goals were a season high for the Burn who snapped a four-match winless streak in their season finale and gave interim head coach Colin Clarke his second victory in six matches after taking over for Mike Jeffries in mid-September.
The Rapids took the lead after just 18 minutes, when Darryl Powell hit a long, searching ball down the right flank which Chris Henderson controlled before putting in a good cross that Spencer powerfully headed home on the dead run from the heart of the area.
But barely a minute later, the home side equalized through very similar circumstances. Chris Gbandi played a big cross from the left touchline that Bobby Rhine headed home from the center of the box to make the score 1-1. Then three minutes later, the Burn took advantage of a bit of Colorado misfortune to pull ahead. The ball bounced wildly around the goalmouth before Rhine finally got control of it at the right edge of the six-yard box. He hooked a quick cross back into the mixer, where Nat Borchers tried to head it over the bar, but instead sent it into his own goal.
Just after the half-hour Dallas doubled its lead when a cross from the right wasn't dealt with well by the Rapids' defense, and Toni Nhleko was quick to pounce on the loose ball and hit a low drive from just inside the area between Garlick's dive and his right-hand post. Dallas hit for four in the 39th minute. Eddie Johnson hit a tremendous angled drive from the right corner of the box, only to see it come crashing back off the face of the bar. Garlick tried vainly to gather the rebound in the goalmouth, but it still squirted loose and Deering was able to back-heel home from close range.
After the halftime interval, Rapids coach Tim Hankinson brought on Joe Cannon for his 2003 debut, replacing Garlick between the posts. Last year's MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, Cannon was signed by the Rapids at midseason after his return from RC Lens in France.
Seven minutes after the break, Colorado pulled a goal back through a well-worked set piece. Mark Chung swung in a free kick from the right, where Chris Henderson sent in a lovely flick-on header from the near corner of the goal area. Spencer led a trio of Rapids running on from deep, heading home with authority from close range.
They cut the lead to one at 4-3, five minutes from time, when Crawford and substitute Chris Carrieri played a nifty one-two in the left corner. Carrieri slipped the return pass back from the byeline for Crawford to carry into the area before hammering an angled drive high inside the upper far corner for his first professional goal. MISCELLANEOUS TEAM NOTES
RAPIDS ROSTER ROUNDED OUT: The Rapids put the finishing touches on their 2004 Opening Day roster this week by announcing a pair of signings prior to the closing of the International Transfer Window on March 31. Forwards David Castellanos and Jean Philippe Peguero were each signed by the club to round out the striking corps, joining Zizi Roberts and John Spencer.
Castellanos and Peguero combined for six goals in the Rapids' 10 preseason matches, and will be looking for similar results in the regular season.
Castellanos, who won a National Championship at the University of Connecticut in 2000, last played in the Honduran First Division with Motagua. He is originally from Philadelphia and has played for the U.S. Under-17 and Under-20 National Teams.
Peguero, who is commonly known by his nickname "Pedro", comes to Colorado after playing a pivotal role in helping Fernando Clavijo's Haitian National Team reach the second round of CONCACAF World Cp Qualifying. He had been training with the National Team in Fort Lauderdale, Florida before going on trial with the Rapids. He holds a green card as a result of his parents immigrating to Florida and thus will not take up an International slot on the Rapids roster.
OPENING DAY BLUES: After five long months of waiting, the 2004 MLS season is finally here. The Rapids will open up their ninth campaign when they travel to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas to take on the Dallas Burn. This will be the second time that Colorado has faced the Burn in their season opener, with the first meeting coming back on March 21, 1998. The Rapids lost that game in a shootout after being tied 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes. The Rapids have an all-time record of 0-7-1 on Opening Day, and have never scored more than one goal in any of those eight matches. Of the players currently on the Rapids roster, only Chris Henderson, Zizi Roberts and John Spencer have scored for the club on Opening Day. A SERIES OF NEW FACES: Of the 23 players on the Rapids Opening Day roster, only 14 were with the club at the start of the 2003 season. Of the nine new faces, seven will be donning a Rapids uniform for the first time ever after joining during the offseason. The other two, goalkeeper Joe Cannon and midfielder Darryl Powell, each joined the club during the 2003 season but saw limited action. Each is expected to be in the Rapids starting XI against Dallas on Saturday as they start their first full season in Colorado.
HAITI'S PEGUERO SHOWS PROMISE: Recent acquisition Jean Philippe Peguero has made a sparkling debut for the Rapids, scoring in each of his first two preseason matches with the club. More important perhaps than his finishing, has been his ability to link up with club captain and fellow forward John Spencer. Each assisted on the others' goal in the Rapids' 4-0 triumph over the University of Denver two weeks ago, and are already showing signs of becoming a dangerous forward combination.
DE LA TORRE GETS ON THE BOARD: Peguero was not the only first-year Rapids player to score in the preseason finale against the MetroStars in San Antonio last weekend. Defender Antonio de la Torre, who is currently the only Mexican in MLS, scored his first goal for the Black and Blue when he lashed a right-footed shot past MetroStars keeper Zach Wells from just inside the box to give the Rapids a 1-0 lead. After signing with the club after returning from preseason training in Spain, de la Torre looks to have earned the club's starting right back spot, a position in which he will feature on Saturday night.
FORMER RAMS TO LOCK HORNS: Saturday's match in Dallas will feature a pair of former Derby County stars. Rapids midfielder Darryl Powell, and his Dallas counterpart Simo Valakari each spent a good portion of their European careers at Pride Park for the Nationwide English First Division club. Powell was a fan favorite at Derby during his time there between 1995 and 2002. His play while Derby was still in the English Premier League helped him gain a spot on the Jamaican National Team for the 1998 World Cup in France. Valakari played the last four years of his career with Derby before signing with the Burn during the MLS offseason. He spent a short time training with his new club in Spain before returning to England to get his deal finalized. He arrived in the Lone Star State late last month and is expected to be fit enough to start in central midfield on Saturday night. Prior to joining Derby County, Valakari plied his trade at Motherwell of the Scottish Premier League alongside current Rapids captain John Spencer.
PABLO'S POLISH RETURN: Pablo Mastroeni was the only Rapids player to be called into Bruce Arena's squad for Wednesday's match in Poland. The U.S. earned its first win of 2004 with a 1-0 triumph in Plosk, Poland behind a DaMarcus Beasley goal. Mastroeni started the match in central defense and played the opening 52 minutes before being replaced by Carlos Bocanegra. With the match, Mastroeni earned his 26th cap with the National Team, and his first since the Gold Cup Third Place match last July in Miami.
RAPIDS TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY: Single game tickets for the Colorado Rapids 2004 season go on sale on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. (MT) through Ticketmaster and the Pepsi Center Box Office. This is your chance to purchase tickets to watch the Rapids take on some of MLS' most exciting players and teams live an in person. To order single game tickets or any of the Rapids' exciting season ticket packages, call 303-825-GOAL.
To read the complete version of the Rapids game notes, click here: www.sportssystems.com/novell/efx/fax/MLS
Major League Soccer Stories from April 2, 2004
- Pre-Game Report: MetroStars @ Columbus Crew - New York Red Bulls
- Burn Announces TV Schedule For 2004 Season - FC Dallas
- D.C. United Launches Good Sport Program For 2004 - D.C. United
- D.C. United Signs Jaime Moreno - D.C. United
- Rapids Season Opener Tomorrow Night - Colorado Rapids
- Craig Reynolds Joins Fire Coaching Staff - Chicago Fire FC
- Crew home opener: 1 day and counting - Columbus Crew SC
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