Colorado Rapids and USA star goalkeeper Tim Howard (pictured) could appear in his first-ever Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League game in 2018. (Photo: Mexsport)
In the seventh of a series of articles taking a closer look at each of the 16 teams in the 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League (SCCL), CONCACAF.com goes in-depth on the Colorado Rapids.
COLORADO RAPIDS/USA
By The Numbers
2017 Regular Season Record: W9 D6 L19 GF31 GA51
Final Position (Regular Season): Tenth Place, MLS Western Conference
Final Position (Playoffs): Missed MLS Cup playoffs
Playoff Results: DNP
Top Scorer (Regular Season): Dominique Badji, 9 goals
Season Summary
Plagued by injuries, which resulted in a constantly rotating lineup, the Colorado Rapids experienced an uneven 2017 campaign that saw them finish 10th in the Major League Soccer Western Conference and miss the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons
Season Highlight
The Rapids won three consecutive games late in the first half of the season – all against teams that reached the MLS Cup playoffs, defeating Sporting Kansas City (1-0, home), Columbus Crew SC (2-1, home) and the Portland Timbers (2-1, home). Alan Gordon struck for the late winner in the last two victories.
Key Player: Dominique Badji
Badji raised his level in his third season in MLS with careers high in goals (9), assists (6) and minutes played (2,000). The Senegalese forward, 25, accounted for nearly 30 percent of his team’s goals.
Player to Watch in 2018: Kortne Ford
The 21-year-old central defender was a fixture in the Rapids lineup, making starts in 19 of the 20 games he appeared in during his rookie campaign.
Fabulous Facts
In what promises busy offseason, maybe the biggest signing came in late November when Anthony Hudson was named the eighth head coach in club history. Hudson arrives after helping lead New Zealand to an intercontinental playoff against Peru for a berth in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying. At 36, Hudson is the youngest-ever Rapids coach.
SCCL Round of 16 Outlook
The Anthony Hudson-era begins with an extremely difficult Round of 16 clash against defending MLS Cup champion Toronto FC. A positive result in the first leg at home (February 20) is critical for the Rapids, who have five of their six all-time wins against TFC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
