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Colorado Rapids: 2020 Preview – Postseason return?

By Matt Coles

COMMERCE CITY, CO - AUGUST 03: Kei Kamara #23 of the Colorado Rapids, center left, celebrates with teammates after scoring a hat trick against the Montreal Impact at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on August 3, 2019 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
COMMERCE CITY, CO - AUGUST 03: Kei Kamara #23 of the Colorado Rapids, center left, celebrates with teammates after scoring a hat trick against the Montreal Impact at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on August 3, 2019 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
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Colorado Rapids
COMMERCE CITY, CO – AUGUST 03: Kei Kamara #23 of the Colorado Rapids, center left, celebrates with teammates after scoring a hat trick against the Montreal Impact at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on August 3, 2019 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

With less than a month to go until the start of the 2020 MLS campaign, we are taking a look at how each team has evolved since last year and their chances this term. This time, we look at the Colorado Rapids.

The first side to get our preview treatment in the Western Conference is the Colorado Rapids, who could only manage a ninth-placed finish in the West in 2019. It was the sixth time in nine years that the club failed to qualify for the postseason since winning the MLS Cup in 2010. The club has now only finished inside the top three in the Western Conference once since 2005.

This season was another poor one for the Rapids, who, along with the ninth-placed finish in the West, were knocked out in their first clash in the U.S. Open Cup. They lost in the fourth round of the domestic cup competition, as they were beaten by lower-league opposition. New Mexico United, a USL Championship outfit, got the better of the Rapids, 4-2 on penalties.

Related Story. Colorado Rapids: Best-rated starting XI. light

But with a strong finish to the 2019 season and hope on the horizon, the Colorado Rapids have much to look forward in 2020. Let’s see how they are shaping up.

COMMERCE CITY, CO – MARCH 02: Kei Kamara #23 of Colorado Rapids heads the ball during the first half against the Portland Timbers at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on March 2, 2019 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
COMMERCE CITY, CO – MARCH 02: Kei Kamara #23 of Colorado Rapids heads the ball during the first half against the Portland Timbers at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on March 2, 2019 in Commerce City, Colorado. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

Best Performers

Despite a poor season, three members of the Colorado Rapids were able to average at least a 7/10 WhoScored rating across the 2019 campaign, including two forwards making their debuts for the team.

The Rapids are Kei Kamara’s seventh club in MLS, having featured for the Columbus Crew, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City, New England Revolution and Vancouver Whitecaps prior to 2019. The Sierra Leone international scored 14 times last term and was the club’s top goalscorer. He also secured the highest average rating for the team in 2019 with a 7.3/10 rating.

Diego Rubio also made his debut for Colorado last season and pushed his strike partner all the way with 11 goals and five assists, averaging out to a 7.28/10 rating. English midfielder Jack Price was the other member of the squad to secure at least a 7/10 rating.

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