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reprint of COLORADO RAPIDS NEWS RELEASE -- byline Andy Engel
NEWS RELEASE
With a 3-2 victory over Western Conference nemesis Dallas Burn on Sunday night at INVESCO Field, the Rapids have secured themselves a place in the 2002 MLS Playoffs, beginning Sept. 25 and culminating in America's most coveted soccer prize - the MLS Cup - to be held Oct. 20 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., live on ABC Sports at 1:30 p.m. (ET). To date, four of eight playoff berths have been clinched, by the San Jose Earthquakes, Los Angeles Galaxy, Dallas Burn and Colorado Rapids, with the remaining four spots open to the rest of the league * Columbus Crew, Kansas City Wizards, Chicago Fire, MetroStars, New England Revolution and D.C. United. The MLS playoffs consist of three rounds (quarterfinal, semifinal and final) with the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds laid out in a three-game, "first to five (points)" format. Structured just like a regular season MLS game, three points are awarded for a win and one point is awarded for a tie, with two, five-minute overtime periods added to determine a winner. In case neither team has reached five points at the end of the third game (plus overtime), 20 minutes of overtime would be allotted, with a "golden goal" (first team to score) deciding the winner. While the regular season winds down with 2-4 games remaining for each club, the month of September will prove critical for playoff seeding, deciding date, time and venue locations for clubs earning a postseason berth. The top four finishers (seeds No. 1-4) in regular season play will enjoy home field advantage, during two of a maximum three games, in both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, with the final being played in a one-game, winner-takes-all format. If the regular season were to end today, Colorado * currently holding the No. 5 playoff seed * would face Dallas in the quarterfinal (opening) round, playing one home game at INVESCO Field on September 28.
Rapids forward John Spencer returned to action on Sunday night, checking in as a second-half sub in Colorado's 3-2 victory over the Dallas Burn * and helping the club secure a place in the 2002 MLS playoffs. Coming on in relief of midfielder Wes Hart in the 69th minute, Spencer was instrumental in maintaining the offensive intensity late into the match, making several dangerous runs and opening up the options out of the midfield, which paid off in the form of a Chris Carrieri game winner in the 87th minute. The appearance was Spencer's first since before the MLS All-Star break, as the Scottish striker has been bothered by a surgically repaired left knee since Colorado's last game against Dallas in July. Spencer has recorded 4 g, 4 a in just 12 starts this year.
The Rapids are set to host the 6th annual soccer ball giveaway night in conjunction with the Sept. 20 match against the Kansas City Wizards. The first 6,000 kids age 16-and-under to enter the stadium will receive a free Rapids soccer ball, courtesy of Dairy Queen and the Colorado Rapids. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets early, as the Rapids expect a large crowd. The 7 p.m. match between the Rapids and the Wizards is the final 2002 regular season game at INVESCO Field, before the playoffs begin in late September.
The Colorado Rapids have clinched a spot in the 2002 MLS playoffs and have devised a family-friendly, affordable ticket plan as the team fights its way through the post season. Fans can secure their seats for a maximum of four playoff games (quarterfinal and semi-final rounds) and pay only when the Rapids play. As an added incentive, reserving your seats now gets you an official 2002 MLS Cup Playoffs T-shirt. Single game ticket prices range from $14 for an end line seat to $35 for a club level seat. For more information, call the Rapids office at (303) 299-1599. Don't miss the Rapids in 2002 post-season action at INVESCO Field!
After posting a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Burn on Sunday night, the Rapids will break from MLS action until September 14, when they travel to Kansas City to take on the Wizards at Arrowhead Stadium * their longest rest since the MLS All-Star weekend. Colorado rounds out the 2002 regular season with back-to-back games against the Wizards, returning home to INVESCO Field on Ball Night, Sept. 20 before beginning the playoff quest for MLS Cup 2002.
Rapids Around Town
Player Event / Location
Date Time
Pablo Mastroeni Private Coaching Session / Aurora
9/5/02 5-6:30 p.m.
Kyle Beckerman Creekside Rec. Center Youth Night
9/6/02 6-7 p.m.
Ritchie Kotschau Family Tree Book Drive
9/6/02 6-7 p.m.
Henderson/Fraser/Rapidman Douglas County Soccer SoccerFest
9/6/02 5-7 p.m.
All players/Coaches/Staff Westminster Clinic and Season Ticket
Holder/Annual Picnic
Annual Picnic
9/8/02 12:30-2:30 p.m.
3-5 p.m.
Injury Report: Scott Garlick - OUT - left thumb fracture
Training Schedule:
Wednesday, September 4 - Training at 10:00 a.m. Westminster Training
Facility
Thursday, September 5 - Training at 10:00 a.m. Westminster Training
Facility
Friday, September 6 - Training at 10:00 a.m. Westminster Training
Facility
Saturday, September 7 - Off
Sunday, September 8 - Off
LEAGUE STANDINGS - Monday, September 2, 2002
Western Conference
TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA STREAKS LAST 10
--------------------------------------------------------------------
X San Jose Earthquakes 25 13 9 3 42 41 30 Lost 2 4-5-1
X Los Angeles Galaxy 25 13 9 3 42 40 32 Won 1 6-3-1
X Dallas Burn 25 11 7 7 40 38 35 Lost 1 4-4-2
X Colorado Rapids 26 12 11 3 39 40 46 Won 1 4-4-2
Kansas City Wizards 26 9 9 8 35 35 42 Won 1 4-4-2
X = clinched playoff berth
MLS CUP PLAYOFFS TABLE -September 02, 2002
Top 8 teams qualify
SD TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA
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1. X*San Jose Earthquakes 25 13 9 3 42 41 30
2. *Columbus Crew 25 10 10 5 35 38 37
3. X Los Angeles Galaxy 25 13 9 3 42 40 32
4. X Dallas Burn 25 11 7 7 40 38 35
5. X Colorado Rapids 26 12 11 3 39 40 46
6. Kansas City Wizards 26 9 9 8 35 35 42
7. Chicago Fire 25 10 11 4 34 40 33
8. MetroStars 24 10 12 2 32 37 40
N.E. Revolution 25 9 14 2 29 41 48
D.C. United 24 7 12 5 26 25 32
X = clinched playoff berth
* = Conference leader
Notes:
SJ holds 2nd tiebreaker against LA (+11 goal differential to +8)
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