2011 Colorado Rapids season
# 2011 Colorado Rapids season

The 2011 Colorado Rapids season was the club's seventeenth year of existence, as well as its sixteenth season in Major League Soccer, and its sixteenth consecutive season in the top-flight of American soccer.

The Rapids will be entered the season as the defending MLS Cup champions.

## Background

The Colorado Rapids are coming off a season, where the club's success was highlighted by winning the MLS Cup, their first postseason title in the process. It was the first time in 17 years that a soccer club based in Colorado won any league/cup title, the last being the Colorado Foxes of the APSL.

In MLS regular season play, the Rapids finished in 7th place overall. The club was eliminated during the top-tier qualification propers of U.S. Open Cup, losing 3–0 to Red Bull New York in the fifth round play-in match.

In the Rocky Mountain Cup derby series against cross-mountain rivals, Real Salt Lake, the clubs tied one another 3–3 in season play. Because of this, the Cup was retained by Salt Lake for the third-consecutive year.

## Club

### Roster

As of September 11, 2011.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Danny Earls |
| 3 | DF | USA | Drew Moor |
| 4 | MF | USA | Jeff Larentowicz |
| 5 | MF | CMR | Joseph Nane |
| 6 | DF | USA | Anthony Wallace |
| 7 | MF | CAN | Josh Janniere |
| 8 | DF | USA | Eddie Ababio |
| 9 | FW | USA | Conor Casey |
| 10 | FW | SEN | Macoumba Kandji |
| 11 | MF | USA | Brian Mullan |
| 12 | FW | USA | Quincy Amarikwa |
| 13 | MF | USA | Steven Emory |
| 14 | FW | JAM | Omar Cummings |
| 15 | MF | USA | Wells Thompson |
| 16 | MF | USA | Ross LaBauex |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | GK | USA | Ian Joyce |
| 18 | GK | USA | Matt Pickens |
| 19 | FW | USA | Andre Akpan |
| 20 | MF | SCO | Jamie Smith |
| 21 | FW | IRL | Caleb Folan |
| 22 | DF | USA | Marvell Wynne |
| 23 | MF | GAM | Sanna Nyassi |
| 25 | MF | USA | Pablo Mastroeni (captain) |
| 26 | DF | USA | Michael Holody |
| 27 | MF | JPN | Kosuke Kimura |
| 28 | MF | USA | Davy Armstrong |
| 29 | DF | USA | Scott Palguta |
| 31 | GK | HAI | Steward Ceus |
| 34 | DF | JAM | Tyrone Marshall |
| - | DF | GLP | Miguel Comminges |

## Player movement

### Transfers

**In**

| Date | Player | Position | Previous club | Fee/notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| November 22, 2010 | Peter Vagenas | MF | Seattle Sounders FC | Acquired in exchange for Julien Baudet and Danny Earls; subsequently released |
| November 24, 2010 | Sanna Nyassi | MF | Vancouver Whitecaps | Acquired in exchange for an international roster slot |
| November 24, 2010 | Anthony Wallace | DF | Portland Timbers | Acquired for allocation money |
| December 3, 2010 | Joseph Nane | MF | Toronto | Acquired for 3rd round 2012 SuperDraft pick |
| December 15, 2010 | Tyrone Marshall | DF | Seattle Sounders FC | Re-Entry Draft |
| March 1, 2011 | Steven Emory | MF | Metro State College | Free |
| March 1, 2011 | Michael Holody | DF | Unattached | Free |
| March 16, 2011 | Caleb Folan | FW | Hull City | Undisclosed |
| March 30, 2011 | Danny Earls | DF | Seattle Sounders FC | Free |
| March 30, 2011 | Josh Janniere | MF | Toronto FC | Acquired for 3rd round 2013 Supplemental Draft pick |
| April 14, 2011 | Eddie Ababio | DF | University of North Carolina | SuperDraft, Round 1 pick |
| September 9, 2011 | Miguel Comminges | DF | Southend United | Free |

**Out**

| Date | Player | Position | Destination club | Fee/notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| November 22, 2010 | Julien Baudet | DF | Seattle Sounders FC | Traded for Peter Vagenas |
| November 22, 2010 | Danny Earls | DF | Seattle Sounders FC | Traded for Peter Vagenas |
| November 24, 2010 | Anthony Wallace | DF | Portland Timbers | Expansion Draft, subsequently reacquired |
| November 24, 2010 | Ross Schunk | FW | | Waived |
| December 8, 2010 | Peter Vagenas | MF | Vancouver Whitecaps | Option declined, free transfer |
| December 8, 2010 | Claudio López | FW | | Option declined |
| December 8, 2010 | Ciaran O'Brien | MF | Atlanta Silverbacks | Option declined, free transfer |

## Standings

### Conference standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | LA Galaxy (SS, W1) | 34 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 48 | 28 | +20 | 67 | 2011 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 56 | 37 | +19 | 63 | 2011 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | 34 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 44 | 36 | +8 | 53 | 2011 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 4 | FC Dallas | 34 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 52 | 2011 MLS Cup Play-In Round |
| 5 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 46 | 42 | +4 | 49 | 2011 MLS Cup Play-In Round |
| 6 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 40 | 48 | −8 | 42 | |
| 7 | San Jose Earthquakes | 34 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 40 | 45 | −5 | 38 | |
| 8 | Chivas USA | 34 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 41 | 43 | −2 | 36 | |
| 9 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 34 | 6 | 18 | 10 | 35 | 55 | −20 | 28 | |

(SS) = Supporters Shield winner; (W1) = Western Conference champion

* ^Note 1 - The top three clubs in each conference are guaranteed spots in the 2011 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals. The other four clubs in the playoffs enter via wild card entrees, regardless of their conference, based on their overall standings in a single table.

### Overall standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | LA Galaxy (SS, W1) | 34 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 48 | 28 | +20 | 67 | 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 56 | 37 | +19 | 63 | 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | 34 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 44 | 36 | +8 | 53 | 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League group stage |
| 4 | FC Dallas | 34 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 52 | |
| 5 | Sporting Kansas City (E1) | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 50 | 40 | +10 | 51 | |
| 6 | Houston Dynamo | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 49 | 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League group stage |
| 7 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 44 | 41 | +3 | 49 | |
| 8 | Philadelphia Union | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 44 | 36 | +8 | 48 | |
| 9 | Columbus Crew | 34 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 43 | 44 | −1 | 47 | |
| 10 | New York Red Bulls | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 46 | |
| 11 | Chicago Fire | 34 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 46 | 45 | +1 | 43 | |
| 12 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 40 | 48 | −8 | 42 | |
| 13 | D.C. United | 34 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 39 | |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 34 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 40 | 45 | −5 | 38 | |
| 15 | Chivas USA | 34 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 41 | 43 | −2 | 36 | |
| 16 | Toronto FC | 34 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 36 | 59 | −23 | 33 | 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round |
| 17 | New England Revolution | 34 | 5 | 16 | 13 | 38 | 58 | −20 | 28 | |
| 18 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 34 | 6 | 18 | 10 | 35 | 55 | −20 | 28 | |

(SS) = Supporters Shield winner; (E1) = Eastern Conference champion; (W1) = Western Conference champion

* ^Note 1 Teams qualify for the MLS Cup Conference Semifinals by finishing 1st, 2nd or 3rd in their respective conferences.
* ^Note 2 Since the LA Galaxy won both the 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield and the 2011 MLS Cup, a place in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League became available. The Seattle Sounders, the 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield runner-up, had already qualified as they also won the 2011 U.S. Open Cup. Therefore, the CCL place went to Real Salt Lake, the 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield third place. Houston Dynamo, the 2011 MLS Cup runner-up, also qualified for the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League. All four teams directly enter the group stage as the preliminary round has been eliminated from CCL.
* ^Note 3 Toronto FC qualified for the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League as winners of the 2011 Canadian Championship.

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 34 | 49 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 44 | 41 | +3 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 25 | 16 | +9 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 19 | 25 | −6 |

Last updated: November 13, 2011 Source: MLSSoccer.com Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference

### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Stadium | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | H | A |
| Result | W | W | W | L | L | L | T | W | T | T | T | T | T | T | W | L | L | T | T | W | L | W | T | W | W | W | T | L | L | L | T | W | T | W |
| Position | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |

## Matches

### Major League Soccer

**Regular season**

All times Mountain Daylight Time.

Last updated: October 22, 2011 Source: Colorado Rapids

**MLS Cup Playoffs**

Last updated: November 2, 2011 Source: Colorado Rapids

### CONCACAF Champions League

By winning the 2010 MLS Cup final, Colorado Rapids have qualified directly into Group stage for the 2011-12 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League. It will be Colorado's debut in the Champions League and their first time participating in a CONCACAF club competition since 1997.

**Group stage – Group B**

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Santos Laguna | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 6 | +10 | 13 |
| Isidro Metapán | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 15 | −5 | 9 |
| Colorado Rapids | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 7 |
| Real España | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 5 |

All times Mountain Daylight Time.

Last updated: October 19, 2011 Source: Colorado Rapids

### U.S. Open Cup

Last updated: March 30, 2011 Source: Colorado Rapids

## Miscellany

### Allocation ranking

Colorado is in the #12 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking. The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club's ranking.

### International roster spots

Colorado has 7 international roster spots. Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots, which can be traded. Colorado dealt a spot to Vancouver on November 24, 2010. Press reports did not indicate if or when this roster spot is to revert to Colorado. The club also traded a spot to New York Red Bulls on September 14, 2010, in the Macoumba Kandji trade. The trade of this spot was not included in the press release and it is not known when this spot reverts to Colorado. The club acquired a spot permanently from Real Salt Lake on June 29, 2005.

There is no limit on the number of international slots on each club's roster. The remaining roster slots must belong to domestic players. For clubs based in the United States, a domestic player is either a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident (green card holder) or the holder of other special status (e.g., refugee or asylum status).

### Future draft pick trades

Future picks acquired: 2013 SuperDraft Round 4 pick acquired from Houston Dynamo. Future picks traded: 2012 SuperDraft Round 2 pick traded to San Jose Earthquakes; 2012 SuperDraft Round 3 pick traded to Toronto FC; 2012 SuperDraft conditional pick traded to FC Dallas; 2013 Supplemental Draft Round 3 pick traded to Toronto FC.

