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Rapids, Quakes battle for playoff survival

Sep 26, 2014 - 8:29 PM Commerce City, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Two teams in desperate need of three points clash at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday as the San Jose Earthquakes meet the Colorado Rapids with both sides carrying nine-game winless streaks.

Time is running out on the playoff hopes of the two teams, and if either wants to have a chance at rallying to reach the postseason, three points is a must on Saturday.

The Earthquakes enter the weekend 11 points out of a playoff spot with six games to play, while Colorado has five games left to close the eight-point gap that exists between the club and the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

San Jose is coming off a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Montreal last time out as the club conceded goals in the final 10 minutes to Jack McInerney and Dilly Duka.

The defeat was even more discouraging considering that Montreal was the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention.

"We can't do anything other than look at our next game and try to get the result," Earthquakes head coach Mark Watson said after the Impact defeat. "It's a tough situation right now. The guys are disappointed, obviously. We seem to just find ways to lose games right now. It has to turn around for us to have any chance."

Colorado can certainly relate to that statement because the Rapids have been equally poor in recent weeks, including a 5-1 defeat to Real Salt Lake last time out.

A penalty kick from Jose Mari in the 21st minute had the Rapids in front, but things fell apart after that as goalkeeper Joe Nasco endured a terrible evening that contributed strongly to RSL closing the match with five unanswered goals.

That result came one game after a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Los Angeles Galaxy, leaving Colorado head coach Pablo Mastroeni to wonder who will step up and prevent that kind of result from happening again.

As a player, that was my responsibility - to make sure that we didn't end up "That has to be solved on the field. I can't go out there and fight with them," Mastroeni said when asked about how his side recovers from another heavy loss. "As a player, that was my responsibility - to make sure that we didn't end up in games like this. [I'm] still seeking, trying to find that answer. We'll find it in and amongst that group. Someone has to stand up and put this team on their back and be the leader. Not say it, but show it."

Saturday's match will mark the third meeting between the two sides this season, with the previous two ending in 0-0 draws.

If recent history is any indication, San Jose will feel good about its chances on Saturday as the club has gone 5-0-4 against the Rapids since 2011.