The Colorado Rapids have jumped to the top of the Western Conference table, but have done so primarily without Marco Pappa. Following the Rapids’ 1-0 win against USL Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup, head coach Pablo Mastroeni gave an update on his attacking midfielder.

“I think he’s got a ways to go with his fitness,” Mastroeni told reporters. “Obviously, I wanted him to kind of pace himself. He went a little longer than I anticipated, but he’s been training hard.”

Pappa endured an MCL sprain in his left knee following a knee-on-knee collision with New York Red Bulls defender Kemar Lawrence on April 16.

Comparing the match against the Switchbacks to Colorado’s upcoming match against the Chicago Fire, Mastroeni said that “the pace of this game is going to be nothing like the pace of the game on Saturday. It’s a work in progress.”

Pappa has three assists and one goal on the year, which came in stoppage time against the Los Angeles Galaxy on March 13.