PALO ALTO, Calif. -- It's not often that an expansion side enters a match with more experience than their opponent. First-year sides are usually the domain of the young, hungry, and unproven. Yet when it comes to Saturday's matchup between the San Jose Earthquakes and the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, it is the Rapids who fit that description to a tee, with the Quakes trying to parlay their experience into their first points of the season.
When Colorado opened the campaign three weeks ago, their lineup contained relatively untested performers like midfielders John DiRaimondo and Nick LaBrocca, as well as defender Stephen Keel. But as San Jose head coach Frank Yallop put it, "It's not about lineups. It's about how you play."
Indeed. The Rapids have jumped out to a 2-1-0 record, with their lone defeat coming in a 3-2 heartbreaker at Kansas City. And last week's 1-0 win against New England served notice that Colorado is for real, as the Rapids showed plenty of discipline to grind out a result on the road.
"They're a team that is playing with a lot of energy, and they have guys that are willing to work," said San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon of his former side. "They're pretty much what we want to be."
That's not to say that San Jose has been completely devoid of such traits. In particular, last week's 1-0 loss to the Chicago Fire was one of those games where the Quakes deserved better, as they out-chanced the visitors and hit the woodwork twice in second-half stoppage time.
But it wasn't enough. Just like the opener against Los Angeles, an untimely mistake ended up in the back of their net, with a midfield turnover leading to Chad Barrett's first-half goal.
"We've just been caught cold with not doing the right things at the right time," said Yallop. "Losing the ball in bad areas has hurt us. We need to make sure that that doesn't happen again on Saturday."
That will be especially true with Colorado midfielder Christian Gomez on the field, assuming he's recovered from a right knee injury sustained against New England. Wide midfielders Terry Cooke and Colin Clark will also bear watching, although the unpredictability of Gomez, who was acquired in an offseason trade with D.C. United, appears to have given the Rapids enough attacking firepower to prevent teams from keying on other aspects of their attack.
"He's a crafty, very deceptive midfielder," said Quakes defender Nick Garcia of Gomez. "I think of him as kind of an [Marco] Etcheverry or Jaime Moreno in their heyday, who can slip in and create havoc for the other team."
The mile-high altitude of Denver will also play a part. It's a fact that Yallop feels is best left ignored, lest it get his team thinking too much. But Cannon plied his trade in Colorado for parts of four seasons, and is well-versed in how it can impact a game.
"[The altitude] affects a lot of little things," said Cannon. "I think you see a lot of misjudging on crosses from 'keepers. But it affects everyone on the field. I think the fullbacks judging headers, the forwards with their timing; it's a tough place to play."
Given the Quakes' struggles in front of goal (they have yet to score in two games this season) they'll need to play the kind of mistake-free soccer that has so far eluded them. It will also put an emphasis on possessing the ball, the better to make Colorado chase, and help the Quakes manage their energy in the mile-high air.
But most of all, San Jose will need to get a goal, no matter how ugly, to give their confidence a boost and allow them to play with a bit less pressure. The hope then is that their first result of the season won't be far away.
"It's important that we start picking up points, not only for the standings, but just for our own morale," said Cannon. "I think you have to reward yourself for the work you've done during the week."
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