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Rapids make big southern swing
Isidro Metapan's Alfredo Pacheco (left), watches as Colorado Rapids Andre Akpan (top), uses the back of Pacheco's teammate Alex Escobar during the CCL opener, Aug. 17. (Photograph by Jessica Taves/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)
The Colorado Rapids players have to stop thinking about the three points at home that got away in the 86th minute on Saturday and turn their attention to a Honduran champion.
Coach Gary Smith blamed the fatigue from Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions League among the culprits that led to Chivas USA’s tying goal in a 2-2 game at home on Saturday.
With seven regular starters playing significant minutes against Isidro Metapan in the team’s 3-2 CCL opener, Colorado took a different squad to San Pedro Sula, Honduras to meet Real Espana on Tuesday.
For the 8 p.m. match with Real Espana (on Fox Soccer), goalkeeper Matt Pickens and defender Marvell Wynne were the only players who appeared in Wednesday’s match against Metapan who did not travel to Honduras on Monday.
The 18-man game day roster will come from the following 19 travellers.
GOALKEEPERS: Steward Ceus, Chris Sharpe
DEFENDERS: Tyrone Marshall, Drew Moor, Kosuke Kimura, Danny Earls, Mike Holody, Scott Palguta.
MIDFIELDERS: Jeff Larentowicz, Brian Mullan, Sanna Nyassi, Joseph Nane, Ross LaBauex, Wells Thompson.
FORWARDS: Omar Cummings, Macoumba Kandji, Caleb Folan, Quincy Amarikwa, Andre Akpan.
Sharpe is an MLS pool goalkeeper who trains regularly with the Rapids. CONCACAF and MLS agreed that Sharpe could be added to the Rapids 30-man Champions League roster for the group stage of the tournament.
Smith opted for an attack-minded CCL roster, taking all five healthy forwards plus Nyassi, who has blossomed in a forward position alongside Cummings.
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