RAPIDS RETURN HOME TO HOST KANSAS CITY SATURDAY WITH LINEUP QUESTIONS STILL POIGNANT

Balboa, Bent, Bravo, Zambrano All Expected To See Some Action;
Rapids Still Without Paule, Limpar, DiGiamarino, Brown And Okoh

WHAT:	The Colorado Rapids host the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night, 
April 29, at Mile High Stadium.  Kickoff for the game is set for 7:00 p.m 
(MT).

RECORDS:	Colorado Rapids (3-3-0, 9 points)
		Kansas City Wizards (5-0-1, 16 points)

RADIO:	KKFN 950-AM (English)
				KMXA 1090-AM (Spanish)

2000 SEASON SERIES:	Wizards Lead 1-0

ALL-TIME SERIES:	Wizards Lead 9-8 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK BALBOA CLEARED TO PLAY AFTER CONCUSSION:

Colorado Rapids defender Marcelo Balboa was cleared to play in this Saturday's game by the team medical staff after suffering a concussion in last Saturday's win over Columbus. Balboa, the reigning MLS Player of the Week after his spectacular bicycle kick last Saturday, is expected to be in the starting lineup. Balboa suffered a grade one concussion in the 15th minute of last Saturday's 3-1 win at Crew Stadium. The injury occurred on an aerial collision with Crew forward and fellow U.S. National Team member Brian McBride. The injury did keep Balboa from traveling to the USA's 2-0 loss in Russia on Wednesday.

JASON BENT TO RETURN SATURDAY AS CANADA CRASHES OUT OF OLYMPICS HOPE:

Rapids midfielder Jason Bent will return to the Colorado line up this weekend after his Canadian Olympic Team failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the regional qualifying tournament in Hershey, Pa. Following a 0-0 draw with the United States on Tuesday, Canada was eliminated, and Bent returned to Denver and rejoined the team for training on Thursday.

Goalkeeper Adin Brown remains with the U.S. side through the weekend, as the Americans face Guatemala in the semi-finals on Friday night. The winner of the match qualifies for the Olympic Games in Sydney, the loser does not, as the two semi-final winners in the region advance. Mexico faces Honduras in the other semi-final, with the winner going to Sydney. A championship game does take place on Sunday, but has no meaning in the actual qualification process. Brown is expected to rejoin the team for Wednesday's contest in Chicago.

BRAVO AND ZAMBRANO EXPECTED TO RETURN:

Despite scoring a combined five goals in the last two outings, the Rapids expect to get even more offensive punch back Saturday with the returns of Paul Bravo (left calf strain) and Henry Zambrano (left hamstring strain) from injury. Bravo is expected to be in the starting lineup, while Zambrano is more likely to start the game on the bench.

DIGIAMARINO AND KEY OUT; OKOH PAPERWORK WILL KEEP HIM SIDELINED:

Colorado will still be without midfielder Joey DiGiamarino, who had to leave the U.S. Olympic team with a groin strain. The Rapids will also be without rookie defender Lance Key, who suffered a groin injury this week in training. Forward Matthew Okoh is likely to also miss the game as he awaits his clearance to begin playing MLS matches.

ANDERS LIMPAR PUT ON INURED RESERVE, EXPECTED TO MISS FOUR WEEKS:

Rapids midfielder Anders Limpar was placed on the injured reserve list on Monday after badly straining his left hamstring in Saturday's win over Columbus. The Swedish playmaker is expected to miss four weeks with the injury, which occurred in the 60th minute.

The injury will end a good run of form from Limpar, who had recorded assists in three consecutive games and four of the last five. He leads the team with four assists.

RAPIDS DROP CREW AS LINEUP BECOMES EVEN MORE DEPLETED:

The Rapids defeated the Crew despite having only 14 available players (11 starters, two field subs, one goalkeeper sub), two of which were temporary, A-League call-ups. After Paul Bravo was a game-time scratch due to a left calf strain picked up in training, Colorado was forced to play the game without the services of Bravo, forward Henry Zambrano (hamstring) and midfielders Ross Paule (knee) and Joey DiGiamarino (groin) through injury. Goalkeeper Adin Brown (USA) and midfielder Jason Bent (Canada) also missed the game for Olympic qualifying.

Newly-acquired forward Matthew Okoh also did not play, as his paperwork was not finalized in time for the game. Midfielder Anders Limpar left the game in the 60th minute with a hamstring strain.

RAPIDS RETURN HOME FOR THREE OF NEXT FOUR AFTER STRONG OPENING ON ROAD:

After opening the season with five of the first six games on the road, the Rapids now return to play three of the next four at Mile High Stadium. Colorado (3-3 overall, 2-3 on the road, 1-0 at home) was 11-5 at home in 1999, and is 40-25 all-time in regular-season games at Mile High Stadium.

JORGE DELY VALDES AND JUNIOR AGOGO FORMING A LETHAL COMBINATION:

1999 Rapids MVP Jorge Dely Valdes and newly-acquired Junior Agogo have only played two games together as the forward line, but the early results have been very successful. After scoring only three goals in the first four games, Colorado has exploded for five goals in the last two, with Agogo and Dely Valdes up front.

The pair has accounted for four of the five goals in the two games (Balboa's bicycle kick being the fifth), with Dely Valdes scoring three goals and Agogo scoring once and adding two assists.

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