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MLS Colorado Rapids

Rapids weekly notes

July 20, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


THE CUP IS NOW OPEN: For the first time this season, the Rapids will venture into the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup when they travel to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas to take on the Burn in fourth round action. The Burn, who did not qualify for the MLS Playoffs in 2003 and therefore had to enter the Open Cup one round earlier, defeated the A-League's Virginia Beach Mariners 2-0 on June 30.

The Rapids have a 5-6 record in Open Cup competition since 1996 and advanced to the quarterfinals a year ago before being knocked out by the Chicago Fire. In 2002, the Burn knocked the Rapids out of the U.S. Open Cup with a 1-0 overtime quarterfinal win for the two sides' only previous meeting in this competition.

WALKING WITH THE WOUNDED: After getting Mark Chung and Rey Ángel Martinez back from injury in the 0-0 draw with the Los Angels Galaxy on July 14, and then seeing Ritchie Kotschau and Jean Philippe Peguero return on Saturday, it appeared that the Rapids were getting their injury situation under control. However, that has not been the case Head Coach Tim Hankinson must now deal with the loss of defenders Pablo Mastroeni and Gary Sullivan as well as forward Alberto Delgado.

Delgado missed the Rapids 3-1 loss in San Jose after suffering a slight quad strain in the first half of the scorless draw with L.A., but he will be available to the Rapids on Tuesday and is expected to play.

However, neither Mastroeni nor Sullivan will be available as a result of long term injuries. Sullivan has a stress fracture in his left leg while Mastroeni has a quad injury that he suffered in training on Friday. Even if he was healthy, Mastroeni would not have been available to Hankinson against Dallas after being sent off in the Rapids' last U. S. Open Cup match against the Chicago Fire.

Joining Mastroeni and Sullivan on the Colorado injury list are midfielder Darryl Powell, forward Zizi Roberts and defender Jeff Stewart.

CUBA CUBA: For the first time this season, both Alberto Delgado and Rey Angel Martinez will be available to the Rapids in the same game. Both Delgado and Martinez traveled to Dallas for the Rapids' Fourth Round U.S. Open Cup match against the Burn, and barring injuries in Dallas, they will look to become the first pair of Cubans ever to appear in a MLS game.

This season, Martinez has played in four games, making one start, with one point on one assist while Delgado has appeared in and started four games with a goal and an assist for three points.

WORLD POWERS TO CLASH IN DENVER: Just one day after the Rapids' Open Cup battle with the Burn, two of the world's biggest club teams will make their way to Denver when Club Atlético Boca Juniors from Argentina and Mexican powerhouse Club Chivas de Guadalajara meet at INVESCO Field at Mile High. The match will take place on Wednesday, July 21 at 8:00 p.m. (MT) and tickets are on sale now through the Rapids ticket office (303-825-GOAL) or Ticketmaster (303-830-TIXS).

Boca Juniors is the biggest and most popular team in Argentina and has won 19 Primera División titles since being formed nearly 100 years ago and has been home to many of the world's greatest players, including former Argentina internationals Diego Maradona and Gabriel Batistuta.

Chivas has established itself as the most recognized and fanatically-supported team in Mexico. The club, established in 1906, has won a total of 10 local championships, including four in a row (1959-1962). Continuing a long-lasting tradition, the club has conquered all of their championships utilizing only Mexican-born players on their team.

Both Boca Juniors and Chivas will be training at INVESCO Field at Mile High on Tuesday with each session open to all media members. Chivas will train at 10:15 a.m. with head coach Benjamin Galindo available to reporters at the conclusion of the training session. Boca will train at 6:30 p.m. with availability following the session.

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