Colorado Rapids

Lore & Background

The Rapids are owned by the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, also owners of the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, Colorado Mammoth of the NLL, and other sports teams outside of the state of Colorado. Colorado won the MLS Cup in 2010, their second MLS Cup appearance after falling short in 1997. They were runners-up of the U.S. Open Cup in 1999, losing to the Rochester Raging Rhinos, the last non-MLS team to win the tournament. The Rapids play their home games at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, since moving into the stadium after it opened during the 2007 season.

In Their Own Story

The story of the LAFC-Colorado connection is anchored to that single date: October 6, 2018. It was the day the new franchise transitioned from an expansion novelty to a playoff contender. The 3–0 scoreline against Colorado stands as the concrete proof of their 57-point regular season record, which surpassed the previous expansion benchmark set by the 1998 Chicago Fire. The victory provided the necessary cushion for a third-place finish in the Western Conference. Yet, the source also notes the fragility of that season's end; just days after celebrating the clinching win over Colorado, the team faced Real Salt Lake and fell in the first round. Thus, the match against Colorado represents both the peak of their regular-season validation and the prelude to a postseason exit.

Reader's Guide

The Colorado Rapids were one of the ten founding clubs of Major League Soccer, owned and operated by the Anschutz Corporation. The inaugural 1996 season was a forgettable one for Colorado. Despite fielding experienced players like Shaun Bartlett, Chris Henderson, Chris Woods, Roy Wegerle and Marcelo Balboa, and head coach Bob Houghton, the team finished last in the Western Conference with the worst record in the league. Balboa became the first player ever to score for the club and also the first to record a goal at Mile High Stadium (in 1996). For the following season, Glenn Myernick was hired as a new head coach and Dan Counce joined as a general manager. Myernick and Counce brought new faces to the squad including Paul Bravo, Wolde Harris, Ross Paule, and keeper Marcus Hahnemann. The team struggled early on, but rallied to grab a post-season spot. The Rapids pulled off two upsets and advanced to the 1997 MLS Cup final. Chris Henderson scored a mid-air scissor kick goal past Dallas keeper Mark Dodd in the 87th minute in the Western Conference final, ensuring Colorado's place in the MLS Cup final. They scored in the MLS Cup (hosted at the home stadium of the opposing club) thanks to a goal by Adrián Paz, with the team and club barely able to make the trip thanks to an impending record snowstorm in Denver, but lost the final 2–1 to D.C. United. Colorado continued on a roller coaster of success alternating with major disappointment: Myernick brought in more new players including Anders Limpar and Marcus Hahnemann, and the club made it to the 1999 U.S. Open Cup final, only to be upset 2–0 by the Rochester Raging Rhinos. During the 2000 season, player Marcelo Balboa scored a bicycle kick which garnered the Goal of the Year. The team clinched a playoff spot in the final game of the season against the Los Angeles Galaxy, with Paul Bravo scoring in the 97th minute. In 2001, Tim Hankinson took the reins as Colorado's new head coach. Scottish striker John Spencer also joined the club that year. While Hankinson did bring effective players like Mark Chung, Chris Henderson, Carlos Valderrama, and Joe Cannon to the squad—and made the playoffs every year—Hankinson also signed a number of expensive and unsuccessful players including Zizi Roberts and Darryl Powell. During his coaching stint, the club also traded away club legend Marcelo Balboa, who would play one game for M

Did You Know?

• The Colorado Rapids were one of the ten founding clubs of Major League Soccer.
• Marcelo Balboa became the first player ever to score for the club and also the first to record a goal at Mile High Stadium in 1996.
• The Rapids won the MLS Cup in 2010, their first MLS Cup championship.