MLS Colorado Rapids

Weekly Update: Rapids Return to Denver for a Week of Training

Published on February 13, 2012 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release


COLORADO RAPIDS RETURN TO DENVER: After spending a week in California for scrimmages against Chivas USA, San Jose Earthquakes and others, the Colorado Rapids are back in Denver, continuing preseason training at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The team will leave town again on Sunday, going west for the Hawaiian Islands Invitational in Honolulu, where the Rapids will face Yokohama FC of Japan on Thursday, Feb. 23, and either Busan I'Park (Korea) or Melbourne Heart FC (Australia) on Saturday, Feb. 25. For more information on the Hawaiian Islands Invitational, visit www.ColoradoRapids.com or www.HawaiianIslandsInvitational.com .

RAPIDS HOST 2012 KICKOFF LUNCHEON ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7: This year, the Colorado Rapids will host their annual Kickoff Luncheon on Wednesday, March 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Denver Marriott City Center. The event, from which proceeds will benefit Kroenke Sports Charities, offers fans the opportunity to meet the team and hear from club executives and Head Coach Oscar Pareja. Interested fans can purchase a table for $1,000 (nine guests and one Rapids player or coach) or an individual ticket for $100. For more information or to purchase a table or ticket, visit www.ColoradoRapids.com or call 303-727-3517.

CONOR CASEY UNDERGOES SUCCESSFUL HERNIA SURGERY: Last week, Rapids forward and all-time leading goal scorer Conor Casey underwent successful sports hernia surgery in a procedure performed by Dr. William Hutchinson in Santa Monica, Calif. He will resume a light rehabilitation program on his Achilles tendon tomorrow, and will begin a full running program in approximately two weeks. His expected return to full participation with the team is 4-6 weeks - still on schedule with his original timetable from his Achilles injury, which was suffered last July 16 in a match at Seattle Sounders FC.

DRAFT PICK YAMADA JOINS RAPIDS: Japanese winger Kohei Yamada, the Rapids' third round 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft pick, finally joined his new team on last Tuesday in California after acquiring his visa to be able to return to the U.S. The 23-year-old saw nine minutes of action in the loss to San Jose Earthquakes on Friday and played in a 35-minute scrimmage the following day against Cal Poly.

NEW FACES JOIN RAPIDS PRESEASON CAMP: The Rapids have seen many new faces come and go during the 2012 preseason as Head Coach Oscar Pareja continues to finalize his squad for the upcoming season. Among them are Colombian left back Luis Zapata, who met up with the Rapids in California and got his first playing time in front of Pareja in the scrimmage against Ventura County Fusion on Sunday, Feb. 5, which resulted in a 0-0 draw. Also joining the club was Colombian forward Jefferson Angulo, who met up with the team after flying into Los Angeles ahead of the scrimmage against VCF. Zapata and Angulo join Sam Archer, Joel Helmick, Isaac Cowles and Aaron Pitchkolan as the team's non-roster players in camp. For more information on the Rapids preseason, visit www.ColoradoRapids.com/Preseason2012 .

RAPIDS ACQUIRE DRAFT PICK FROM HOUSTON: The Colorado Rapids made a trade with Houston Dynamo on Friday last week that brought a conditional draft pick to Colorado in exchange for forward Macoumba Kandji. Kandji originally joined the Rapids in late 2010, and in MLS Cup that season made the play that led to the game-winning overtime goal. He tore his left ACL in the process, and made his return to competitive action midway through the 2011 season. In two seasons with Colorado, Kandji played 16 regular season games (starting five) with three assists, and also appeared as a substitute in six playoff matches.

PRESEASON MATCHES PREPARE THE RAPIDS FOR 2012 CAMPAIGN: Last week, the Rapids had their first taste of competitive action in 2012, with a series of scrimmages in California, including two full matches against MLS squads. Returning players Quincy Amarikwa and Andre Akpan both scored on the trip, as did newcomers in Colombian midfielder Jaime Castrill�n and SuperDraft pick Tony Cascio. The team's full schedule of preseason matches is below:

COLORADO RAPIDS - PRESEASON MATCHES 2012

DAY DATE OPPONENT (LOCATION) RESULT (SCORERS)/TIME*

Sun Feb 5 Ventura County Fusion (Oxnard, CA) 0-0 T

Tue Feb 7 Chivas USA (Carson, CA) 1-0 W (Amarikwa)

Fri Feb 10 San Jose Earthquakes (San Luis Obispo, CA) 2-1 L (Castrill�n)

Sat Feb 11 San Jose (35-min game, San Luis Obispo, CA) 1-0 W (Cascio)

Sat Feb 11 Cal Poly (35-min game, San Luis Obispo, CA) 1-0 W (Akpan)

Thu Feb 23 Yokohama FC (Honolulu, HI) 8:30 p.m. HST

Sat Feb 25 Busan I'Park/Melbourne Heart (Honolulu, HI) TBD

SAT MAR 10 COLUMBUS CREW (OPENING DAY) 4:00 p.m. MT

RAPIDS OPEN SEASON ON MARCH 10 AT DICK'S SPORTING GOODS PARK: The Colorado Rapids kick off the 2012 regular season on Saturday, March 10 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, hosting the Columbus Crew. For more information on season tickets and advance ticket sales, call (303) 825-GOAL or visit www.ColoradoRapids.com.

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