Depleted Colorado Rapids lose three more starters – MLS News
The defending Major League Soccer Cup champions, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Colorado-Rapids-c38849, face troubling times in the current play-offs, especially after losing three regular starters to injuries.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Drew-Moor-c11678 and Caleb Folan picked up respective injuries in the 2-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semi-final on Sunday, October 30, at d**k's Sporting Goods Park.
Kimura was sidelined due to a fractured left foot that resulted because of a foul tackle by SKC defender http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Matt-Besler-c24771 in the first half. The player could only stay on the field for 36 minutes before being stretchered off. The Japanese left-back played only
64 minutes in the 2011 season due to a number of injuries.
The worst injury might be Moor’s, who was taken off with a dislocated shoulder. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Teal-Bunbury-c34742 forced a foul on the right-back in the second half. Head coach Gary Smith called Bunbury’s tackle “absolutely ridiculous”. The defender might be out for the next
three to four weeks.
Folan sprained his left knee and ankle while cutting inside from the left flank against the Wizards’ right-back, Aurélien Collin. He only lasted 23 minutes in the game and was replaced by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Macoumba-Kandji-c23026.
“The two injures in the first half bit into us hard,” Smith said. “The moves certainly don’t help us. The strongest group went out there and they were three players light by the end of the game. Because you have to make changes, it makes you weaker.”
Jamie Smith and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Pablo-Mastroeni-c28990 are already out because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a concussion respectively.
Moreover, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Tyrone-Marshall-c35649 will not be able to sport the Rapids’ jersey because of the red card suspension. Playing against Sporting, the player forced a foul on Bunbury in the penalty area that set-up his second goal of the game.
With an aching and beleaguering roster, manager Smith has lost hope of a win in the second leg scheduled at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on November 2.
“It’s a catalogue, a catalogue of problems,” he said. “It’s 2-0 at halftime and anything’s possible, but maybe SKC are going to find themselves in the next round and find themselves closer to the Holy Grail.”
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