A fellow MLS original comes to town this weekend to renew one of the oldest rivalries in the league.
Mexican striker Alan Pulido was ruled out for the entire season after having knee surgery to repair damage he suffered with the Mexican National Team last year.
They’ve consistently been one of the best teams in MLS under Vermes’ stewardship, evidenced by an MLS Cup victory in 2013.
Without Pulido to contribute, I’m not sure they’re threats for MLS Cup but they are talented, savvy and full of players who know and understand MLS, and they still have one of the better goalkeepers in Tim Melia.
The Rapids put three goals past Atlanta United in their home opener thanks to superb play from Chilean forward Diego Rubio, who had the game-winning goal and assist on Jonathan Lewis’s goal.
They lost their Spaniard, Ilie, to LAFC in the offseason but they still have Roger Espinoza, Remi Walter, Gadi Kinda, Felipe Hernandez and Uri Rosell.
Players from each team are experts at getting in the heads of their opponents, experts at the gamesmanship side of soccer and not afraid to embrace soccer as a contact sport.