The Colorado Rapids will look to push their unbeaten streak to 12 on Monday night when they host the Portland Timbers in the annual July 4 game at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Tim Howard has only been a Rapid for a week, but he still sees the matchup with the defending MLS Cup champions as a strong assessment for his new club.
“At the end of the day,” Howard said, “They’re still the champion, and it’s a good measuring stick for this team.”
Head coach Pablo Mastroeni says Howard has a “very good possibility” of starting Monday, but the question of whether Howard or Zac MacMath starts in goal has still not been answered.
If Howard starts, as well as Portland goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey, Monday night will be a goalkeeping rematch of the United States vs. Ghana at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Also pending is the amount of playing time for Shkelzen Gashi and Jermaine Jones, who have been off on international duty in Euros and Copa America, respectively. Gashi trained with the team Saturday at their open practice on the stadium pitch, and Jones returned Sunday.
“We’re still kind of figuring that part out,” Mastroeni said. “We’ll look to see how they respond today, and then we’ll make that decision tomorrow.”
The Timbers enter the match at 6-5-6, having fashioned an epic comeback against Houston last Sunday that will surely keep the Rapids on their toes.
“I think every game in this league must be played 90-plus,” Mastroeni said. “You can’t take any plays off. What I talked to the guys about is, the team that takes more plays off ends up losing games.”
The two teams last played on October 25 of last year in the Pacific Northwest, where the host Timbers dismantled Colorado 4-1. Dominique Badji scored the Rapids’ lone goal.
The Rapids are 13-3-3 all-time on July 4 and are unbeaten in their last three matches on this date. Their last loss came in 2012 in a 1-0 decision to Vancouver.
Photo courtest of John Babiak @Photog_JohnB