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 Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

, and the sixth-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. 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. 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. The Rapids advanced to the MLS Cup final and defeated

FC Dallas FC Dallas is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise be ...

2–1 after

extra time Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw where the scores are the same. In some sports, this extra period is played onl ...

for their first league championship. In addition to MLS and

MLS Cup Playoffs The MLS Cup Playoffs is the annual postseason elimination tournament of Major League Soccer. The final match of the tournament is the MLS Cup, the league's championship game. Under the current format adopted for the 2019 season, 14 teams qualif ...

, 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

Review

Preseason

March

Colorado began their sixth

regular season on the road with a 1–0 win against

Chivas USA Chivas USA (pronounced ''CHEE-vahs'') was an American professional soccer team based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California. The club played from 2005 to 2014 in Major League Soccer (MLS) and was a subsidiary of Mexican club C.D. Guada ...

on March 28, 2010.

April

Colorado played their first home match against the Chicago Fire on April 3, earning a point in a 2–2 draw.

May

June

July

August

September

October

The Rapids entered the

2010 MLS Cup Playoffs The 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs was the postseason tournament subsequent to Major League Soccer's 2010 season. The playoffs began on October 30, with the Los Angeles Galaxy defeating the Seattle Sounders FC in the quarterfinal-round. Three weeks la ...

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 The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer team based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete as a member club of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). Originally as the San Jose Clash, the franchise ...

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 Toronto Football Club (commonly known as Toronto FC or TFC) is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matches at BMO ...

. The Rapids faced off against

, 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 The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...

in club history.

Match results

Preseason

MLS regular season

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

MLS Playoffs

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U.S. Open Cup

League table

Conference Overall

Results summary

Squad

Roster

''As of May 5, 2010.''

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:2010 Colorado Rapids Season Colorado Rapids seasons Colorado Rapids Colorado Rapids Colorado Rapids MLS Cup champion seasons