The Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake will meet on Sunday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for the second game of three on MLS’s Soccer Sunday as the Rapids will look to take home the Rocky Mountain Cup for just the second time in nine years and avoid being eliminated from the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoff.
Real Salt Lake will be missing both Luis Gil and Boyd Okwuonu while Colorado will be without offensive powerhouse Dillon Serna as all three are away on international duty with the United States Men’s National Team U-23’s, who are working on qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro while no players on either side are suspended or injured.
In their last match, the Rapids traveled to Houston where they fell to the Dynamo 3-2 after coming back twice to equalize before Brad Davis got the go-ahead goal in the 47th minute. The loss was their third in their last four matches, meaning the Rapids will be eliminated from playoff contention if they lose this game or Sporting Kansas City and San Jose Earthquakes both win on Saturday night as they sit 10th in the Western Conference Standings.
Meanwhile, Real Salt Lake enter this match after traveling to the new Avaya Stadium in San Jose where Real would fall 1-Nil to an 87th minute goal by Matias Perez Garcia after his shot careened off Jamison Olave and in, leaving Nick Rimando no chance of making a save. Garcia was sent off on the play as he received his second yellow card of the match for removing his shirt during his celebration. It was a surprise loss for Real, as they came in with the momentum coming off a 3-Nil win against the LA Galaxy the previous weekend.
Real Salt Lake sit ninth in the Western Conference Standings with 38 points, six points behind the Portland timbers and five behind San Jose. They have four matches including this one remaining on the season and will need to collect all three points on Sunday if they want to keep their slim hopes of making the playoffs this season alive.
Colorado will be looking for just its second Rocky Mountain Cup in nine years. Real Salt Lake has dominated the series, with Colorado's win coming in 2013. In order to retain the cup, Real Salt Lake will need to win by two goal goals as the tie-breaker goes by goal differential; if that is also tied then by default the previous cup winner will retain it at that point.
The game will be a wide open one with Real Salt Lake dominating. Javier Morales, who has eight goals and 11 assists for Real Salt Lake, will find the net and get his ninth goal of the season along with another assist leading Real Salt Lake to another Rocky Mountain Cup as they will win by two goals. Nick Rimando will be just that, Nick Rimando, and keep Colorado from scoring as he will pick up his ninth shutout of the season.