Conor Casey has been charged with bringing respectable soccer back to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. With only Kortne Ford listed as injured, Casey had a full roster of options for his first Colorado Rapids starting XI. He also had the benefit of hosting the Vancouver Whitecaps, another bottom-of-the-MLS-table team.
Giving Tim Howard the start at the goalkeeper position was a logical choice, if only because it was a home game and Howard was signed to be the Rapids’ marketable player. But after this first game in charge, he would not be faulted for giving Clint Irwin a start or two.