1st-Place Colorado Rapids Face Salt Lake In Key Early Season Matchup

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) - The Colorado Rapids are in first place in the Western Conference for the first time in four years.

After a 5-2-2 start, Coach Pablo Mastroeni and the Rapids have the best record in Major League Soccer.

On Saturday night the Rapids play at home against Real Salt Lake, who is in second place in the conference.

There's a long season still ahead, but with the addition of midfielder Jermaine Jones and goalkeeper Tim Howard on his way, there's certainly some excitement right now at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.

"After eight games or nine games you get a feel of where you are at -- against your opponents, you see where you are in training, the good training days and the not so good training days and you see that there is no ceiling and the players can achieve whatever they want to achieve as a group," Mastroeni told CBS4. "To this point it has been remarkable."