Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes refused to confirm why some of the team's top players failed to make the trip to Colorado after his team's winless streak hit seven games on Wednesday.
Three days after Vermes was critical of a number of unnamed players for showing a "lack of intensity," his team traveled to face the Rapids without Benny Feilhaber, Chance Myers and Graham Zusi.
However, Vermes said after the 1-0 defeat to Colorado that only Zusi was injured.
Sporting KC captain Matt Besler was named as an available substitute and stayed on the bench.
Asked about Besler's absence, Vermes said: "There's nothing to talk about in regards to that. That's none of your guys' business."
Sporting KC had an extended team meeting on Monday following a loss at Houston, after which Vermes called out his players for their effort.
"Unfortunately there were just certain people who really hurt us in the game tonight," he said on Sunday. "They were terrible on the ball, and they just lacked the competitiveness that you need in this league to keep yourself in the game, and we lacked that in a few guys today."
Sporting have not won a game since April 9 and have only 14 points from 12 games.
Vermes also criticized the sending off of Ike Opara in the 77th minute, calling the decision "really sad."
The Rapids and Sporting were still searching for an opening goal when Opara was booked for the second time for blocking off Jermaine Jones near the sideline.
Colorado scored shortly afterward and improved on their MLS-best record.
"Unfortunately it does change the game. I mean, you go down a man. It's a bad call... In a game like that to call that as a second yellow is sad. It's really sad," Vermes said.
"I thought we had a really good performance. Guys fought. They fought, they worked hard. They deserve a lot more in that game."
Vermes also suggested Colorado was fortunate to come away with the three points.
"I thought we played well from the very get-go. We had good possession of the ball. I thought we were dangerous on them. I don't think we gave anything away," he said.
"They had the one chance, based on the thousand they called and the yellow card send off. Outside of that there was nothing. Again, they should be elated at the moment to have walked away with what they got."