April 21, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Charlotte FC News Release
The Colorado Rapids are a founding member of Major League Soccer. As one of the original ten teams, they participated in the inaugural MLS season in 1996 but in that first season ended up finishing last in the Western Conference.
But the following year, they pulled off two upsets, advancing to the 1997 MLS Cup Final but losing to D.C. United. In 1999, they made another final but this time in the U.S. Open Cup but were on the receiving end of an upset when they lost to the Rochester Raging Rhinos.
Nevertheless, they made the playoffs the following year in 2000 but weren’t able to in 2001. However, in the debut season of their new home stadium, Invesco Field at Mile high, they reached the 2002 MLS Cup Semifinals. And even though they lost, 2002 was a historical year as they swept the players, coaches, and attendance awards.
The ensuing years were a mixed bag on the pitch with the most significant event coming off the pitch when Kroenke Sports Enterprises bought the club in late 2004. In 2007 they built Dick Sporting Good’s Park, which opened to worldwide recognition.
In the 2008 season, the Rapids saw a resurgence on the pitch, but still just missed out on the playoffs. But it was in 2010, after many offseason roster moves, the Rapids would finally win that ever-elusive trophy.
They were crowned MLS Cup Champions beating FC Dallas 2 – 1 to win their first so far only trophy in their history. For the next 10 seasons, the Rapids were either not qualifying for the playoffs and if they were, they generally ended in early exits.
But under head coach Robin Fraser, who was hired in 2019, the team was starting to make strides. Last season, in Fraser’s third season with the Club, the Rapids finished first in the Western Conference beating out the Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City in a close contest until the very end.
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The Rapids haven’t been able to replicate their 2021 season form so far…
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