The Kansas City Wizards picked an unlikely location to notch their first road victory of the season earlier this week. Adding another could be too tall of an order.
The Wizards haven't won in Colorado more than six years, and they'll be playing their third match in eight days Saturday night when they try to become just the second visitors in 12 games to beat the Rapids at home.
Kansas City (4-8-3) embarked on a two-game, four-day trip this week without a road win since Sept. 12, a slump that seemed destined to continue at Eastern Conference-leading Columbus on Wednesday.
But the Wizards got a 14th-minute goal from rookie Teal Bunbury to end a 339-minute scoreless drought, and Jimmy Nielsen made seven saves as Kansas City held on for a 1-0 victory.
"(This win) means a lot," the 20-year-old Bunbury said after scoring his first career goal. "I kept hearing how hostile and tough it was to come here and get a win, especially with this drought we've been having. ... Getting the victory here is huge."
Teams are 4-6-0 when playing their third league game in eight days this season, but there's a bigger disadvantage for the Wizards. Kansas City is 0-5-1 at Colorado since June 9, 2004, and 1-8-5 in its last 14 visits.
The Rapids - 6-1-4 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park since Aug. 1 - were the victims of another team's home dominance their last time out. Colorado's six-game unbeaten streak was snapped with a 1-0 defeat Saturday to Toronto, which extended its run without a loss at home to 15.
"As we move forward, I think that this group know that they are playing some good football, that we have good players, that we have a good opportunity to achieve something that we've not achieved in a long time," Rapids coach Gary Smith said. "But quite frankly today, not enough edge and not enough determination at important times in both penalty areas to get something out of the game."
Kansas City has already beaten Colorado (6-4-4), winning 1-0 at home on April 10 on Kei Kamara's goal in the 49th minute.
The Wizards would love to see Kamara find the back of the net again in this match. The Sierra Leonean striker leads the team with six goals - as many as his teammates have combined - but he hasn't scored since June 10.
Colorado hasn't won since June 5, playing three consecutive draws prior to the loss at Toronto, but figures to have a good shot if Conor Casey or Omar Cummings can score. Casey (six goals) and Cummings (four) have 10 of the Rapids' 16 goals, including six of their eight at home.
Cummings scored in a 2-1 win over the Wizards on March 28, 2009, in Kansas City's last visit.
