CARSON, Calif. - The Colorado Rapids came into StubHub Center Wednesday night sporting the league’s best record and a ten-match unbeaten streak. They still have both, after drawing the LA Galaxy 0-0, and now move into a stretch where they’ll add in more players in the coming weeks, from injury, international duty, or via transfer.
Forward Kevin Doyle was the center of the Rapids’ attack on Wednesday, with two shots on target and three chances created. Even though a win is always the goal, Doyle was happy with the point.
“I think we played very well,” Doyle told reporters after the game. “I think coming here, a notoriously difficult place to come and get a result, away from home, we’ll take that [draw] all the time."
The Rapids will soon officially have the services of US international goalkeeper Tim Howard, who will join the team when the transfer window opens in July. Add in Jermaine Jones and Shkelzen Gashi returning from international duty, as well as Bobby Burling and Sean St. Ledger expected to return from injuries soon, and the best team in the league at the moment will seemingly get even stronger.
Despite the incoming stockpile of talent and depth, Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni stresses his team-first mentality and the team’s current expectations.
“We don’t, as an organization, rely on one guy doing everything,” Mastroeni told reporters. “The pressure we talk about is, ‘Who’s the next man up and who’s going to do a great job.’ So with the addition of Tim and Jermaine back into the group, nothing changes. The expectations are the same.”
Mastroeni reiterated that his squad isn’t thinking about their unbeaten streak, only on the task in front of them.
“The thing that we talk about all the time is going on one-game runs,” Mastroeni said. “And taking it one game at a time, and not look too far ahead.”
However, with the impending arrival of Howard, Doyle can’t help but get a bit excited for their July 4th home match against the Portland Timbers in Commerce City.
“The Fourth of July is gonna be a big game for us at home,” Doyle commented. “With Tim Howard coming, it’s going to be a great atmosphere. We should have no problem motivating ourselves or getting our adrenaline going again for that game.”
