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MLS Colorado Rapids

Recalling Rapids' First-Ever Meeting with Kansas City

May 11, 2015 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


As Colorado Rapids prepare for their next match of the 2015 season, at Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, we take a stroll down memory lane with a look back at the first match of the first season.

Sporting KC will always have a 'special' place in the hearts of Rapids fans, being as they were the first-ever opponents when - as Kansas City Wiz - they ruined Colorado's introduction to Major League Soccer with a 3-0 win at Arrowhead Stadium.

The date was April 13, 1996 and it was the first match for both franchises in the newly launched MLS. Featuring for the Rapids on that occasion were: Dusty Hudock; Denis Hamlett, Ian Butterworth, Troy Edwards, Matt Kmosko; Steve Trittschuh, Chris Henderson (Roy Wegerle 77), Dominic Kinnear; Scott Benedetti (Richard Sharpe 77), Shaun Bartlett, Jean Harbor.

The Wiz lined-up as follows: Pat Harrington, Samuel Ekeme, Sean Bowers, Tommy Reasoner (Scott Uderitz 83), Uche Okafor, Matt McKeon, Preki, Mark Chung, Eric Eichmann, Frank Klopas (Diego Gutierrez 83), Vitalis Takawira.

All Kansas City goals came in the last 20 minutes, with current Montreal Impact head coach, Frank Klopas, among the scorers. The home side out-shot the Rapids 25-8. Of those, KC had 12 on target and the Rapids zero on frame.

The Rapids would get their own back just three weeks later, with a 4-0 home win over The Wiz. Benedetti, Trittschuh, Henderson and Sharpe were the scorers. In all, Kansas City Wiz (to be re-named Wizards from 1997) and the Rapids would meet four times in that first season, and on each occasion the home side were victorious.

A wonderful rivalry built up in those formative years. The teams met four times a season for the first five years. They have since met with less regularity, particularly after Sporting Kansas City (which they were re-branded as from 2011) moved to the Eastern Conference for the start of the 2005 season.

In all, the Rapids and Sporting KC have met 52 times. The Rapids' record against Kansas City stands at 17-22-13. Much of any success has come in Colorado, with the Rapids returning triumphant on only three occasions from KC ... and not since September 14, 2002.

The most recent meeting with Sporting Kansas City came on March 29, 2014 when a stoppage-time goal from Dom Dwyer secured all three points for the visitors in a dramatic 3-2 win at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. That stretched the Rapids' winless run against Sporting to eight games. Their last win against their neighbors came on March 28, 2009, at home.

Both teams will go into Saturday's contest off the back of ties in their most recent matches. The Rapids played to a fourth consecutive 1-1 tie last Friday, thanks to a late equalizer from James Riley in their home match with San Jose Earthquakes. Sporting, meanwhile, held D.C. United to a 1-1 draw at RFK Stadium on Saturday night.

This Saturday's match will be live on Altitude, with coverage starting from 6:00 p.m MT. The match is scheduled to kickoff at 6:30 p.m.

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 11, 2015


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