Colorado Rapids Practice Notes: May 24

After a couple tough losses on the road, the Colorado Rapids are back to work here at home.

Nana Boateng

He’s back! Well, kind of. As of today, Bismark Adjei-Boateng is cleared to start running. And that’s what he did - spent about an hour jogging around the field. He was putting in a decent clip, and took a couple breaks, but for the most part, he seemed fine.

Micheal Azira

Azira has been practicing this week and seems okay after spending a minute on the sideline on Saturday.

Jared Watts

Watts, on the other hand, was MIA. Sounds like it is related to the hack to the back of the leg that he took at the end of the Philadelphia Union game. Considering he wasn’t even at practice, it’s unlikely that we will see him this week against Sporting Kansas City. I expect Axel Sjoberg and Bobby Burling will start as the center back pair.

Marlon Hairston

Marly is still practicing with the defense, so I think we’ll see him at fullback for a while.

Mike da Fonte

Da Fonte was working with a trainer on the side when I first got there and the team was split into offense and defense, but then he integrated into the play when they were scrimmaging. I don’t think it was that he is injured, it seemed like he was the odd man out. He switched with Caleb Calvert about halfway through.

Connor Gavigan

There was a 4th goalkeeper at practice today, and turns out it’s Connor Gavigan. Gavigan is a goalkeeper at Creighton University (where Ricardo Perez went to school), and played with the Rapids U17/18 team in 2015-2016. He is now on the U-23 squad and will probably spend some time with the first team this summer.