The 2010 Colorado Rapids season was the fifteenth year and season of the club's existence. It was Colorado's fifteenth year in Major League Soccer, and the fifteenth consecutive year for the club in the top-flight of American soccer.
Following a disappointing ninth-place finish in the regular season, head coach Gary Smith began to revamp and overhaul the roster, making numerous inexpensive moves to sign low-key MLS players to fit the salary cap demands at one of few franchises with no Designated Players.[citation needed] The Rapids were able to improve slightly in the MLS regular season, finishing in seventh place, scoring fifteen goals and conceding only four in their last six home games. The team finished their final ten league matches with a 4–3–3 record.[citation needed] In the MLS Cup Playoffs, Colorado were seeded in the Eastern Conference and defeated Columbus in a penalty shoot out. They then won 1–0 against San Jose at home, in a one leg tie, for the conference championship.[1] The Rapids advanced to the MLS Cup final and defeated FC Dallas 2–1 after extra time for their first league championship.[2]
In addition to MLS and MLS Cup Playoffs, Colorado advanced through the qualification rounds of the U.S. Open Cup before being knocked out 3-0 by New York in the fourth round.
Background
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Review
Preseason
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March
Colorado began their sixth Major League Soccer regular season on the road with a 1–0 win against Chivas USA on March 28, 2010.[3]
April
Colorado played their first home match against the Chicago Fire on April 3, earning a point in a 2–2 draw.[4]
May
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June
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July
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August
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September
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October
The Rapids entered the 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference, despite playing in the Western Conference. In the Conference Semifinals, Colorado defeated the Columbus Crew at home 1–0 in the first of two legs.
November
The Rapids played the second leg of their Conference Semifinal matchup in Columbus. After 90 minutes of play, the Crew were on top 2–1, meaning the two teams were tied on aggregate goals 2-2. After playing a scoreless extra period, the two teams went into a penalty shootout, where the Rapids would prevail 5–4. Colorado would follow up with a home win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the Conference Final to advance to the Cup Final.
MLS Cup 2010 was played on a neutral field at BMO Field, home of Toronto FC. The Rapids faced off against FC Dallas, the third seed in the Western Conference. The teams would go into extra time, where the match was decided by an own goal from FC Dallas defender George John in the 107th minute. The Rapids would win the match 2–1, and won their first MLS Cup in club history.
Source: MLS Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored (C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield
Results summary
Overall
Home
Away
Pld
Pts
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
4
7
2
1
1
6
4
+2
1
0
1
5
3
+2
1
1
0
1
1
0
Last updated: April 21, 2009 Source: Major League Soccer Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference
Round
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Stadium
A
H
A
H
A
A
H
A
A
H
H
A
H
A
H
H
A
H
H
A
A
H
H
A
H
A
H
A
A
H
Result
W
T
L
W
W
L
L
W
W
W
T
T
T
L
T
L
T
W
T
L
W
W
L
W
T
Position
5
5
9
5
4
6
7
7
4
4
4
4
5
5
6
6
6
6
7
7
7
6
7
7
Updated to match(es) played on April 21, 2010. Source: MLS Results and League table A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; L = Loss; T = Tie
The Western Conference is one of Major League Soccer's two conferences, along with the Eastern Conference. As of 2023, the division of the Conferences broadly follows the path of the Mississippi River from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, with clubs on, or west of the River in the Western Conference.
The 2006 Houston Dynamo season was the inaugural season of the club.
The 2008 Chicago Fire season was the club's 10th year of existence, as well as their 11th season in Major League Soccer and 11th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer. It began with a 3-1 away win over Real Salt Lake on March 29, 2008 and ended with a 2-1 loss to Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference Final on November 13, 2008. Denis Hamlett made his debut as the Chicago Fire coach after being promoted.
The 2009 Chivas USA season was the fifth season of the team's existence. It began on March 21 with a 2-1 home win over the Colorado Rapids, and ended with a 3-2 aggregate loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the first round of the playoffs.
The 2009 Colorado Rapids season was the fourteenth season of the team's existence. It began on March 21 with a 2–1 loss at Chivas USA and ended on October 24 with a 3–0 loss to Real Salt Lake. The result put RSL in the playoffs as the 8th seed and kept Colorado out on goal differential.
The 2009 FC Dallas season was the fourteenth season of the team's existence. It began on March 21 with a 3–1 home loss to the Chicago Fire and ended with a 2–1 away loss to Seattle Sounders FC on October 24. A win in that game would have sent the team to the playoffs.
The 2009 Los Angeles Galaxy season was the 14th season of the team's existence. It began on March 22, 2009, with a 2-2 home draw against D.C. United, and ended on November 22, 2009, with a loss on penalties to Real Salt Lake in the 2009 MLS Cup Final.
The 2009 San Jose Earthquakes season was the twelfth season of the team's existence, and the second since its revival. The season began with a 1-0 home loss to the New England Revolution on March 21, and ended with a 2-0 loss at the Los Angeles Galaxy on October 24.
The 2009 Real Salt Lake season was the fifth season of the team's existence. After clinching the eighth and final spot in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs, Real Salt Lake would go on to defeat the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2009 MLS Cup. The team was the first team in MLS history to win the MLS Cup after finishing the regular season with a losing record (11–12–7).
The 2010 Chivas USA season was the sixth season of the team's existence.
The 2010 FC Dallas season was the fifteenth season of the team's existence.
The 2010 Houston Dynamo season was the fifth season of the team's existence since joining Major League Soccer (MLS) prior to the 2006 season. It was the team's fifth season with head coach Dominic Kinnear, majority owner Philip Anschultz, and chief operating officer Chris Canetti. On June 10, team president Oliver Luck left the Dynamo to become athletic director for his alma mater, West Virginia University.
The 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy season was the club's fifteenth season of existence. It was also the Galaxy's fifteenth season in Major League Soccer and their fifteenth-consecutive year at the top-flight of American soccer.
The 2010 San Jose Earthquakes season was the club's thirteenth season of existence. The Earthquakes finished 8th overall in MLS and finished in the Eastern Conference finals of the MLS Cup playoffs before losing to the Colorado Rapids. It was the first season the club made the playoffs since 2005.
The 2010 Chicago Fire season was the club's 12th year of existence, their 13th season in Major League Soccer, and 13th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer.
The 2010 Columbus Crew season was the fifteenth season of the team's existence and fifteenth in Major League Soccer (MLS).
The 2008 Real Salt Lake Season was the fourth season of the team's existence. It was the first season that the team made it to the MLS Cup Playoffs, thanks to some last minute heroics by Yura Movsisyan. After defeating Chivas USA in the first round of the playoffs, Real Salt Lake lost to New York Red Bulls in the Western Conference finals. The 2008 season was also the last season that Real Salt Lake played at Rice-Eccles Stadium, as they moved to the soccer-specific Rio Tinto Stadium on October 9, 2008.
The 2005 Chivas USA season was the club's first season of existence, and their first in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. The club competed in the MLS's Western Conference, where they finished in sixth place, or last place, in the Conference.
The 2008 Columbus Crew season was the club's thirteenth season of existence and their thirteenth consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. Columbus also competed in the U.S. Open Cup and the MLS Cup Playoffs. The season covered the period from November 14, 2007 to the start of the 2009 Major League Soccer season.
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Stan Kroenke 
Gary Smith 
