The Rapids Clinch The Playoffs, Then Beat The Galaxy

The playoff picture in MLS is down to two teams, and the Colorado Rapids are the team in that mess that have control of their own destiny. A single point in their last two games will give them an automatic playoff berth and the Kansas City Wizards can't do anything about it. Similarly, Kansas City losing or drawing either of their final two games will get the Rapids into the playoffs. The Rapids can take their first shot at getting their point today against the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center in LA.

Los Angeles has already long clinched a playoff spot and is very close to the Supporters Shield as well. Getting a point out of a game like this is another in a long list of tough spots that the Rapids have seen themselves in lately, but their play has at the very least been greatly improved the past few months; home loss to DC United excluded obviously.

Since getting Macoumba Kandji and Brian Mullan in separate trades before the roster freeze, the Rapids have looked much more impressive on the road, getting tough draws at Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas, the latter a game that the Rapids could have very easily won after outplaying Dallas immensely in the 2nd half. If the Rapids can get some pressure onto LA the same way that they did against Dallas and Salt Lake, they could have a chance to come away with perhaps three points out of this one.

You can look for a possible start by Julien Baudet or Anthony Wallace, both of whom are recovering from injuries. Marvell Wynne, Drew Moor and Kosuke Kimura are most likely the other three starters regardless of who is the fourth man back. There's a chance that Gary Smith goes back to the 4-4-1-1 formation with all three of his strikers on the pitch that he used against FC Dallas, but personally I doubt it considering it took a move back to the 4-4-2 to get anything really going in that game on non set-piece plays.

Colorado lost their earlier game this season to LA 1-0 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.