• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Rapids unbeaten in seven, but need win vs. Union

Jun 3, 2011 - 9:12 PM Commerce City, CO (Sports Network) - Colorado is on the verge of Major League Soccer history, but the defending MLS Cup champion Rapids might be pleased if they fail to accomplish the feat Saturday against the Philadelphia Union.

Colorado has tied its last five matches, equaling the single-season record for consecutive ties, and is just one away from tying the all-time record set over two seasons by the San Jose Earthquakes in 2004-05.

"For whatever reason," Rapids coach Gary Smith said, "we can't get that final nail in the coffin."

Obviously a draw is better than a loss for the Rapids (4-3-6), but a win would end the streak and give Smith's weary club its first victory since May 4. The problem is that Philadelphia (6-3-2) is one of the most improved clubs in MLS.

And Smith's club, hindered by injuries this year, will not be at full strength this weekend either.

Joseph Nane was admitted to the infirmary with a separated right shoulder, and Marvell Wynne is back on the sideline after he re-aggrevated a right hamstring injury.

Remember, Macoumba Kandji remains sidelined with an ACL tear sustained in the MLS Cup final last season, a 2-1 extra time win over FC Dallas, Omar Cummings is troubled by an ankle sprain, and fellow forward Conor Casey just regained his fitness.

The other positive for Smith is Cummings dropped out of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and fellow Jamaica international Tyrone Marshall has asked to stay in Colorado through the group stage of this month's tournament.

But coming off another tie, the most recent being a 1-1 final against Sporting Kansas City, has the Rapids hungry for a win, even though they're still fourth in the Western Conference.

"At the moment the group's going through the grinder physically. We're having to endure some injuries, and when anybody gets hurt or has a physical issue that keeps them out, it always compounds what we already have," Smith said.

"And at some point we just have to try and break free from that. Hopefully we win a game and feel a lot better about ourselves."

Philadelphia is feeling awfully good after last week's 6-2 thumping of Toronto FC in Canada, as the club scored the most goals in its short history. With 20 points from 11 matches, the Union lead the Eastern Conference.

It's a huge contrast to last season, when the expansion club struggled and had just 31 points all year. So heading to Colorado to face a team on a seven-game unbeaten streak won't seem too daunting for Peter Nowak's club.

Justin Mapp and Danny Mwanga each had two goals in the huge win over Toronto, as Philadelphia seems to have put its early-year scoring woes in the past. The Union had just six goals in their first nine games, but have eight in the last two.

"Everyone has been talking about how we haven't scored too many goals, but I think we proved them wrong in this game," said Philadelphia midfielder Gabriel Farfan, who is questionable this week with a hamstring strain.

The Union will be without Carlos Ruiz due to international duty, but he stayed on the bench for last week's goalfest, so he won't be too missed this weekend.

Mapp knows Colorado "is never an easy place to play," and that it will "take a great effort from everybody to get a result there.

But, Mapp added, "a result would be good for us."