Sporting Kansas City Vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS Cup Playoffs 2011: Defending Champions Are Dead

Sporting Kansas City Vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS Cup Playoffs 2011: Rapids Done, Sporting Moves On

As expected, Sporting Kansas City finished off the Colorado Rapids to move onto the Eastern Conference final. They held a 2-0 advantage heading into tonight's second leg against a Rapids team missing half of their starting tea due to injury. Then Aurielien Collin and C.J. Sapong added goals on a cold, rainy night at Livestrong Sporting Park and it was done. Another 2-0 win made it 4-0 on aggregate as the defending MLS Cup champions were eliminated.

Any hope that the Rapids had went away in the 28th minute when Collin was punched, but still scored. A free kick by Graham Zusi found him unmarked in the box because the Rapids think marking players is overrated. Matt Pickens decided to do as bad a job goalkeeping as his defense did defending, coming out and missing the ball, but instead punching Collin in the head a split second after the Sporting man had nodded the ball towards goal. The ball went over the goal line, Collin hit the turf and Kansas City were in front 1-0.

The match went on with Sporting knocking the ball around, their very good forwards threatening the Rapids defense and Colorado doing very little in the way of attacking of showing any sort of competent play in the attacking half, but that's normal for them. Eventually, Sapong headed home another Zusi free kick and Sporting were moving on while the defending champions were dead.

Sporting will host the Eastern Conference final on Sunday against the winner of the Houston vs. Philadelphia tie. The winner of Sunday's contest will then move on to MLS Cup, to be hosted on November 20 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA.

Sporting Kansas City Vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS Cup Playoffs 2011: C.J. Sapong Adds One Because He Can

This tie is over. The Colorado Rapids are going home and Sporting Kansas City are on to the Eastern Conference final. That was abundantly clear when Aurielien Collin scored in the first half to make this second leg 1-0 and the aggregate 3-0, but Sporting weren't done and why would they be? If they could toss another goal or two in there, go for it. That's what C.J. Sapong did, knocking in another goal just for funsies that makes it 2-0 in the match and 4-0 on aggregate.

It was a pretty simple play and one that Sporting fans have seen a few times this year. It starts with a foul and Graham Zusi goes over to take it. He rips a ball into the box right on someone's head, this time Sapong's, then the ball in nodded home for the goal. It's the second set piece goal of the night for Sporting who have themselves a weapon on set pieces in Zusi. Now they'll get to see that weapon in the conference final.

Sporting Kansas City Vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS Cup 2011: Aurielien Collin Puts This Tie On Ice

The Colorado Rapids are done. They were basically done before this second leg of their conference semifinal tie against Sporting Kansas City. I mean, they weren't really coming back from 2-0 down on aggregate in Kansas City with a half dozen of their starters sidelined due to injury, but now Aurielien Collin has scored for Sporting and they're really done. There's no coming back now.

Sporting's goal came off of a free kick from 35 yards out on the left. Colorado decided that not marking two players was a fantastic idea. One of those players was Collin, who was sitting by himself at the penalty spot. Matt Pickens decided to mimic the incompetency of his defense's marking and came out for the ball that he was never going to get, instead punching Collin in the back of the head after he'd directed it on goal. The ball went in the net, Collin hit the ground after being punched and the Rapids were done.

Sporting Kansas City Vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS Cup Playoffs 2011: It's Cold

It's really cold in Kansas City tonight. It's raining too and really hard. Basically, it's really, really miserable there. Even so, there's a playoff match to be played so Sporting Kansas City and the Colorado Rapids are out there playing in some slop. Livestrong Sporting Park isn't quite full, but there are a lot of people out there braving the weather so good for them and Sporting.

The most amazing part is that the supporters' section is completely full. The Cauldron has showed up in force despite the weather being absolutely abysmal. There isn't any room in their end behind the goal and you can hear their each and every song loud and clear. High five to the Cauldron!

All of this is really necessary to point out because, let's be serious, would you show up in 40 degree weather with the rain pelting down on you to watch the Rapids play? It's basically guaranteed that the match will be unwatchable because of them and yet people showed up. I wouldn't have. I hope they have a really thick alcohol blanket on.

Sporting Kansas City Vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS Cup Playoffs 2011: Lineups

Coming off his two-goal effort in the first leg of their Eastern Conference semifinals against the Colorado Rapids, Teal Bunbury has been given the start for Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday. Sporting are once again going with their familiar 4-1-2-3 look and will feature Kei Kamara and CJ Sapong alongside Bunbury. Omar Bravo, who was questionable for the match, is not in the 18.

The Rapids will go with a lineup heavy on reserves. Wells Thompson has been given a surprise start on the backline with Kosuke Kimura out. Scott Palguta was is the other normal reserve who gets the starting nod. In the midfield, Joseph Nane and Ross LaBauex will start in place of the injured Pablo Mastroeni and Jamie Smith. Sanna Nyassi is up top alongside Omar Cummings.

Sporting KC starters: Nielsen (c); Myers, Collin, Besler, Sinovic; Cesar, Espinoza, Zusi; Kamara, Bunbury, Sapong. Bench: Kronberg, Olum, Harrington, Diop, Jeferson, Arnaud, Saad.

Rapids starters: Pickens, Thompson, Wynne, Palguta, Comminges, Nane, Larentowicz, LaBauex, Mullan, Nyassi, Cummings. Bench: Ceus, Holody, Earls, Ababio, Kandji, Akpan, Amarikwa.

For the latest updates on this match, be sure to follow this StoryStream.

Sporting Kansas City Vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS Cup 2011: Livestrong Sporting Park's Biggest Day Yet

Remember the Kansas City Wizards? Going back even further, remember the Kansas City Wiz? Sure, that team has one MLS Cup win to their name, but they were largely a joke. They had a horrendous nickname and once even horrendous colors (yes, colors because they looked like a rainbow). Few people showed up to their games at a NFL venue, then it got more embarrassing when they had to move to a minor league baseball stadium. That seems like an awfully long time ago now though because the club is now Sporting Kansas City and the top team in the Eastern Conference, packed with young and excited players. Above all, most striking is their stadium, a $200 million crown jewel to soccer, planted right in the middle of corn country.

It's easy to make too big of a deal of Livestrong Sporting Park. Yes, their 2011 season turned around when they started playing in the venue, but that could be chalked up to having to play 10 road games to start the season more than the stadium itself. It also ignores that the team was playing well in spurts to start the season, only to be best by some bad breaks.

Whether it is too easy to credit or not though, Livestrong Sporting Park marks a turnaround in the club. They had a beautiful home and before long, they had wins. Most importantly, the club had fans. A city that once looked at the club with disdain has embraced it and filled the stadium with regularity. Now those fans are going to get a treat. They're going to see Sporting play a playoff match in their own stadium.

Everyone expects the stadium to be packed on Wednesday for the second leg of their Eastern Conference semifinal tie. With a 2-0 lead over the Colorado Rapids, it should be an easy, happy evening for the home side. The stadium will be noisy from the opening kick for the biggest match that the stadium has hosted yet. Of course, that is only until Sunday, when the stadium is expected to play host to Sporting in the Eastern Conference final with a spot in MLS Cup on the line. Oh, how times have changed in Kansas City.

Colorado Rapids Injury Update: Kosuke Kimura, Drew Moor, Caleb Folan All Ruled Out

The Rapids will have to overcome a 2-0 deficit to Sporting KC without the help of any of their first-choice defenders.

Sporting Kansas City Vs. Colorado Rapids, MLS Cup Playoffs 2011: Defending Champions On Last Legs Heading To 2nd Leg

Colorado are ravaged by injuries against a Kansas City team that is already better than them and leading 2-0 on aggregate so it looks like this will be the defending champions' last stand