New England at Colorado
Location: Mile High Stadium. Kickoff: 9:00 p.m. (ET). Television: WABU-68 Boston. Satellite: none.
Previous meeting: May 25 in Foxboro, Mass. — The Revs blew a late lead, but prevailed 3-2 in a shootout. Jim St. Andre returned in goal when Aidan Heaney was red-carded in the third minute of play.
Injuries: New England — F John Kerr (sore hamstring and groin) and D Iain Fraser (groin rehab) are probable), M Welton (strained quadriceps) is doubtful, D Mike Burns (arthroscopic knee surgery) is out, Colorado — D Marcelo Balboa (strained hamstring), M Steve Trittschuh (broken toe), M Scott Benedetti (sprained ankle), M Roy Wegerle (sprained ankle), F Jean Harbor (broken arm), and F Shaun Bartlett (sprained ankle) are probable, D Ian Butterworth (strained hip) is doubtful, M Dominic Kinnear (sprained knee) and F Richard Sharpe (stress fracture) are out, D Troy Edwards (groin surgery) is on injured reserve.
Preview: There won’t be much depth on the bench for either squad in this evening’s encounter. The Rapids have been so devastated by injuries that only Brian Bates (222 minute of action this year), Josh McKay (0), and Sean Henderson (0) are available as field reserves. Marcelo Balboa will be back in the lineup for Colorado, which is 2-8 without the U.S. national team defender. He will be playing in back, as Ian Butterworth is still out with a strained right hip.
New England, although excited about new acquisition Joe-Max Moore, will still be shorthanded. Mike Burns is still recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery; Alexi Lalas will be leading the U.S. Olympic team in its must-win game against Portugal; Welton is hampered by a strained quadriceps muscle and likely won’t play; Alberto Naveda will sit out the match after collecting his fifth yellow card against D.C. United on Saturday. Darren Sawatzky must continue to spark the New England attack, as he did in the victory over United, because Moore won’t be in uniform until this weekend in Kansas City.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
New England — St. Andre, Fraser, Okaroh, Wylie, Lips, Woodring, DeBrito, Aunger, Sawatzky, Keegan, Kerr.
Colorado — Woods, Kmosko, Hamlett, Balboa, Cannon, Benedetti, Trittschuh, Wegerle, Henderson, Harbor, Bartlett.
Prediction: Rapids are due: they win 2-1.
MetroStars at San Jose
Location: Spartan Stadium. Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. (ET). Television: MSG Network. Satellite: Satcom C4, Tr. 6.
Previous meeting: June 18 at Giants Stadium — Jeff Baicher’s goal gave San Jose a 1-0 victory in a game where the Clash defense cleared three potential equalizers off the goal line.
Injuries: MetroStars — D Matt Knowles (strained quadriceps) and M Manny Lagos (strained knee ligament) are out; San Jose — M Jeff Baicher (strained hamstring) is probable, M Paul Holocher (torn ACL) is on injured reserve.
Preview: The MetroStars look to rebound after a disastrous 3-0 loss to Los Angeles on Sunday — a game in which midfielder Manny Lagos suffered a ghastly-looking knee injury. Apparently, he only strained a knee ligament, but he is still out of the lineup for a bit. The big question for coach Carlos Queiroz’s club will be whether midfield wizards Roberto Donadoni and Tab Ramos can operate in the narrow confines of Spartan Stadium. Defender Rhett Harty, suspended for the Galaxy match, returns to the defense, which must stop the Western Conference’s most potent attacking duo in Eric Wynalda and Paul Bravo.
Bravo was named MLS Player of the Week after notching a pair of goals in each of San Jose’s two road wins. Midfielder Ben Iroha has also played well of late, with 4 assists in his last 3 games. Guatemalan international Jorge Rodas will start for the Clash tonight, because Missael Espinoza received a red card against Columbus on Saturday.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
MetroStars — Meola, Caricola, Zaun, Harty, Vermes, Donadoni, Gillen, Ramos, Da Silva, Savarese, Villegas.
San Jose — Salzwedel, Martin, Dayak, Doyle, Draguicevich, Emenalo, Baicher, Iroha, Rodas, Bravo, Wynalda.
Prediction: San Jose takes it, 3-2.