Colorado defender, who won two titles at D.C. United, believes Rapids can regain rhythm

One player on the Colorado Rapids knows what it takes to win the MLS Cup.

David Vaudreuil won two with D.C. United in 1996 and 1997 before he was picked up by the Miami Fusion in the 1998 expansion draft and subsequently traded to Colorado.

The flank defender had a particularly strong playoff performance in 1997 when he assisted on five goals, including a Jaime Moreno strike in the final, a 2-1 win over the Rapids.

"We had a set organization from top to bottom, from the ownership to Bruce Arena," Vaudreuil said. "We were very well supported, and it gave the players an ideal situation to be successful.

Vaudreuil credits Arena with putting a framework in place where the team could lose a player here or there, and replacements wouldn't miss a beat.

"We always had a really deep team," Vaudreuil said. "We had some of our most impressive wins when all of our South American players were in [World Cup] qualifying."

That kind of continuity is something the Rapids sorely missed this season. After shooting out to a league-best 14-5 record, the Rapids went into a tailspin largely because of injuries that made Coach Glenn Myernick juggle his lineups and formations.

"We found ourselves short two or three players," Vaudreuil said. "For whatever reason, it really threw us off our stride. We've had to put in new players in new positions and new formations, and the continuity of the team was broken up."

Heading into the playoffs, the Rapids were building on the MLS record for scoring futility, going 409 minutes without billowing the net.

But Vaudreuil sensed a turn of fortune after another narrow, 1-0, loss to Chicago Oct. 6, in which the winning goal came on a disputed penalty kick by Ante Razov.

"That was a tough loss for us," Vaudreuil said, "but in my mind it was night and day from, say, the last six or seven games where ... we were off balance as a team, our rhythm wasn't there.

"Soccerwise it hasn't been pretty, it's been a struggle for us ... I think we've started to get that rhythm back."

Anders Limpar, who returned after missing nine games with a left quadriceps injury only to receive a red card in the Chicago game, and Jason Bent, who will be back after playing with Canada in Gold Cup qualifying, will finally give the Rapids the same team that ruled the Western Conference in the early going ... and not a moment too soon.

"I think the defense has gotten back to the point where we're going to give up either zero or one goal a game, which is what you need to win," Vaudreuil said. "It remains to be seen, now that our lineup is back to the 4-4-2 that we're comfortable with, if that rhythm is going to come back.

"It's a question of whether or not we have enough time to settle in and get into our stride where we're giving up hardly anything at the back, and then whether by luck, great play, or good teamwork the goals start coming."

by Soccer America associate editor Poul Swain