COMMERCE CITY — The Rocky Mountain Cup rivalry has waned in recent years as the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake slipped from relevance in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference. But expect tensions to ramp back up Friday as the Rapids take on RSL in a nationally televised showdown.
Only three points separate Colorado and RSL, who enter the weekend in second and third in the conference, respectively.
“This game has Western Conference playoff implications and also Supporters’ Shield implications,” Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni said this week. “This game’s probably the biggest Rocky Mountain Cup that we’ve experienced in the last couple years.