Rapids hope it won't get any worse vs. RSL

Changing the coach didn't work, but maybe adding several players will when the Colorado Rapids try to avoid an ignominious record.

If the Rapids (0-8-2, two points) don't get a victory against Real Salt Lake at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., on Saturday, they will equal the Major League Soccer record for worst winless start to a season set by RSL in 2007 (0-5-6).

Colorado fired coach Anthony Hudson on May 1 and named Conor Casey as the interim coach. Casey lost his debut 3-2 to the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps on May 3, the Rapids' seventh straight defeat.

Casey is counting on the emotions of competing against RSL (3-6-1, 10 points) for the Rocky Mountain Cup (based on the season series) to lift his team's play. Real Salt Lake coach Mike Petke was Casey's teammate on the Rapids in 2007-08.

"All of the players and coaches, everybody is looking forward to having a packed house," Casey said. "We need it. We need them behind us for this game, and for the rest of the season. We're all trying to pull ourselves out of the situation we're in, so we need everybody in this building and in this city to help us out."

The Rapids this week traded midfielder Benny Feilhaber to Sporting Kansas City for defender Abdul Rwatubyaye, acquired midfielder Jonathan Lewis from New York City FC for cash and an international spot and obtained defender Lalas Abubakar from the Columbus Crew on a one-year loan.

Meanwhile, Real Salt Lake has lost two straight after winning two in a row. The good news is that even with a 2-1 home defeat to Portland on May 4, RSL are only a point back of the San Jose Earthquakes for the last Western Conference postseason position.

"It's too early to be concerned," RSL midfielder Albert Rusnak said. "We're one point behind the playoff spot with 20-some games to play, so that one point is not huge, but we definitely should be higher."

--Field Level Media