Village People Or Bananas? You Decide.

The Rapids have headed East to face the team that could do double duty as traffic cones, the Columbus Crew. The last time these two teams met the Rapids won a PK shootout on their way to winning MLS Cup. This time its only 3 points on the line, but its 3 points Colorado could really use. Game time tomorrow is 6pm on Altitude. The Pid Army and Class VI will be watching the game at the Highland Tavern.

The added wrinkle to this road trip is what Colorado does after the game. When they get on their plane they won't be heading West to Denver, they'll be heading East to Washington D.C. To quote from today's official White House press release:

Also on Monday, the President will welcome Major League Soccer champions, the Colorado Rapids, to the White House to honor their 2010 season and their MLS Cup victory. In conjunction with the ceremony with the President at the White House, the Colorado Rapids will hold a soccer clinic for children of military families on the South Lawn.

So that's pretty damn cool.

Injury Report:

DOUBTFUL: FW Macoumba Kandji (L knee ACL tear)

QUESTIONABLE: DF Marvell Wynne (R hamstring strain)

PROBABLE: FW Omar Cummings (R ankle sprain); MF Joseph Nane (R shoulder strain); GK Matt Pickens (R groin strain); MF Jamie Smith (L calf strain)

Disciplinary Report:

SUSPENDED: FW Caleb Folan

SUSPENDED AFTER 1 MORE CAUTION: MF Pablo Mastroeni (3 games good behavior removes one)

SUSPENDED AFTER 2 MORE CAUTIONS: FW Conor Casey; DF Tyrone Marshall; DF Drew Moor; DF Anthony Wallace

Welcome back Brian Mullan! Now don't ever do something so stupid again. In your place Folan goes on the suspended list. Pablo, don't get a yellow card suspension for the big 4th of July game, OK? Should be a lineup very close to our MLS Cup lineup tomorrow. Only Marvell Wynne isn't available (Though he, like every player, traveled to Columbus to be part of the ceremony in D.C.). My guess:

Pickens

Kimura - Moor- Marshall - Palguta

Mullan - Mastroeni - Larentowicz - Smith

Cummings - Casey

Left back is kind of a mystery right now, I really am not sure what's going to happen there. Otherwise I think Mullan goes right back into the starting XI and Cummings is hopefully ready to start..

Key To Look For: Is C+C Goal Factory back? The Rapids offense has been miserable lately, but Cummings instantly injected some danger when he entered last week's game. If that duo can find their connection again, watch out.

Prediction: 1-1 draw, goal by Cummings. Really, do you see any reason to predict anything but a draw yet? The Rapids offense needs to prove something before I'll expect more than a goal, and the defense is haphazard lately. Cummings got close last week, with Casey their to clean up, this week I think he gets one.