MLS Colorado Rapids

Rapids travel to Texas to take on FC Dallas

Published on October 28, 2005 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


Western Conference Semifinal GAME 2:

Saturday, October 29, 2005

6:30 p.m. (MT) Rapids vs. FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park

TV: LIVE- Comcast CET Channel 5 (Denver only) & MLS Direct Kick

Radio: None

LAST GAME:

Western Conference Semifinal Game 1

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Rapids 0 vs. FC Dallas 0 at INVESCO Field

RAPIDS INJURY REPORT

(Updated 10-27-05):

Out: Matt Crawford (Right Hip); Nat Borchers (Right Ankle Sprain)

Doubtful: NONE

Questionable: NONE

Probable: Joe Cannon (Left abdominal strain)

SUSPENDED: NONE

NATIONAL TEAM CALL-UPS: NONE

RAPIDS Training Schedule for Week of October 24, 2005

Friday, October 28-

***TRAVEL DAY TO TEXAS***

Saturday, October 29-

6:30 p.m., Rapids vs. FC Dallas, 2005 MLS Western Conference Semifinals (Return Leg) LIVE on Comcast, Ch. 5

Sunday, October 30-

**TRAVEL DAY TO DENVER***

MISC. GAME NOTES:

RAPIDS VS FC DALLAS:

The Rapids hold a 14-17-5 all-time record against Dallas in the regular season. In the playoffs Colorado holds a 3-1-2 record against their Lone Star State rivals. The Black and Blue have defeated the Texas franchise in the two previous playoff series they matched up against each other in - 1997 and 2002.

WINNER TAKES IT ALL:

For the third time this season, and the second time at INVESCO Field at Mile High in 2005, the two clubs finished a match with a scoreless draw. However, goals are assured this Saturday night, for if the game is still scoreless or tied after regulation, there will be a 30-minute overtime period (with two 15 minute halves). If the game is still tied after this overtime, the match will progress to kicks from the spot to determine who advances to the Conference Championship.

RAPIDS UNVEIL TEAM'S BEST:

At halftime of Saturday's game, the Colorado Rapids announced the team's 2005 yearly Team Award winners in a special interactive ceremony. Defender Nat Borchers was the only player to take home more than one award, earning the Rapids Defender of the Year Award as well as the US Soccer Foundation's Colorado Rapids Humanitarian of the Year Award. Goalkeeper Joe Cannon took home the 2005 Honda Rapids Most Valuable Player for the second straight year, and Jeff Cunningham received the Budweiser Rapids Golden Boot Award for his team-leading totals in '05. Several other Rapids players took home awards for the first time. The Rapids award winners were selected based on players' performances over the course of the entire season as voted on by members of the local Colorado media. To view the entire list of winners, visit ColoradoRapids.com

VIEWING PARTY FOR SATURDAY'S GAME:

The Rapids have announced they will hold a special Playoff Viewing Party for all fans to gather and watch this Saturday's Game 2 match. Fans are encouraged to join the Rapids staff and non-traveling players at Delaney's at the Celtic Tavern (18th & Blake Streets in Lodo) to watch the match live, especially as the game will not be televised on CET Channel 5, which can only be viewed in Denver proper. The viewing party is free to attend; for more info., fans can call the Rapids at (303) 405-6123.

CANNON ON TOP:

Joe Cannon is tied at the top of the goalkeeper standings for the MLS playoffs. Cannon has a 0.00 goals-against-average for the playoffs and is tied with Scott Garlick (Dallas), Tony Meola (MetroStars), Nick Rimando (DC United), and Zach Thornton (Fire).

CUNNINGHAM FINISHES THIRD:

Jeff Cunningham's 12 goals this season earned him a tie for third place (tied with LA's Landon Donovan) in the Budweiser MLS Golden Boot standings, which is awarded to the league's top goalscorer. New England's Taylor Twellman finished the season with 17 goals to win the award and D.C. United's Jamie Moreno took second with 16 tallies.

CLAVIJO'S FIRST YEAR A SEASON TO REMEMBER:

2005 was a good year for the Rapids under the helm of Head Coach Fernando Clavijo, who led the team to a 13-13-6 record and 45 points in the club's 32 regular season games this year. Clavijo tied the Black and Blue's record for most wins in one season (13) as well as led the Rapids to their highest point total in a season since 1999. The team fell one win short (three points) of tying the all-time record of points in a season (48), established by the team in 1999, when the shootout tiebreaker gave the rapids six victories of their 20-12-0 record. Clavijo was also able to construct a solid defense this year that recorded the second lowest goals-against record in team history (37 goals against).

CALL IT THE THIN AIR:

The Rapids established the best Home Wins Streak record (6 games) in the 2005 Major League Soccer season, posting victories in the thin air of the Mile High City for six straight games from July 23rd to October 1st, 2005. Second place in this category was shared by the San Jose Earthquakes, the Los Angeles Galaxy and FC Dallas, who all recorded 5 consecutive wins in their respective home stadiums this season.

RAPIDS END-OF-SEASON RANKINGS HISTORY:

The Colorado Rapids have never been able to head into the playoffs seeded higher than third place in the team's 10-year history. The Rapids are headed into the playoffs again this year seeded third, after the team had to wait for the Los Angeles Galaxy to drop a 3-1 decision against San Jose, allowing Colorado to clinch the third seed in the Western Conference. The Black and Blue have been able to reach the second round of the playoffs on three of the six occasions when they finished the season in third place (1998, 1999 & 2002). They were eliminated in the first round on the other three occasions (2000, 2003 & 2004). The two times the team finished the season as the #4 seed, the Rapids saw mixed results. They were able to reach MLS Cup in 1997 after they swept all opponents in the playoffs after finishing as #4, but in 2001 did not qualify for the playoffs after finishing as #4 due to the then-3-conference system. The only time that the Rapids have finished #5 in their Conferences, they also missed the playoffs; it was in the club's inaugural year of 1996.

RESERVES IN TOP HALF:

The Colorado Rapids Reserves, led by Assistant Coach Steve Trittschuh, ended the MLS Reserve Division season tied for fifth place with a total of 18 points and a 5-4-3 record. Sasha Gotsmanov led the Rapids Reserve team with 6 goals, while Luchi Gonzalez and Wolde Harris both scored 5 during the course of the Reserve Division's inaugural year. It was the DC United Reserves who took the Reserve Division title this season.

FOURTH STRIGHT PLAYOFFS APPEARANCE:

The Rapids have now qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs for the fourth straight year, tying a club record. Colorado also made the playoffs from 1997-2000. The only two years the Mile High Club has not reached the postseason were 1996 and 2001.

HELPING FABRICE:

The Colorado Rapids Community Care Foundation has set up the "Fabrice Noel Fund" to help forward Fabrice Noel in his quest to bring his parents to the USA from Haiti. Sports Illustrated highlighted Noel in an article that focused nationwide attention on the horrors that Noel and his family have endured in his home country. The Rapids Foundation collected donations from fans at the gates of Saturday's home playoff match, and are now accepting donations via mail. All donations are tax deductible and the Rapids give their thanks to all the fans who have expressed interest in helping the Noels.

RAPIDS TEAM UP WITH NATIONAL GUARD:

The Colorado Rapids and the Colorado Army National Guard are currently in the midst of their annual 2- week campaign of a series of aerial visits to Front Range elementary and middle schools via military helicopter, landing in school yards across the Front Range to promote the Red Ribbon Anti-Drug program among students and educate kids about the dangers of drugs. For more information on the Rapids and Colorado National Guard Red Ribbon school visits, visit ColoradoRapids.com

Check out the Colorado Rapids Statistics

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