Chicago Fire vs Colorado Rapids | Roster Notes | April 20, 2019

Starting XI:

Team captain, Tim Howard will make his eighth consecutive start of the 2019 season against the Fire. In January, the New Jersey native announced that 2019 will be his final season in his storied playing career. Howard has been a mainstay on the US men's national team and spent more than 10 years in England before rejoining MLS with the Rapids in 2016. Since then, the Howard has featured in 82 games, boasting 18 shutouts.

Defender Keegan Rosenberry made his seventh consecutive start with the Rapids last Saturday against D.C. United. The Pennsylvania native has played every minute of the 2019 season so far. Rosenberry made 32 regular season appearances with the Union in 2018, 31 from the start, registering one goal and three assists. 

Defender Kofi Opare will make his third start for the Colorado Rapids today. The defender joined the Rapids in February after spending five seasons with D.C. United. Since arriving in MLS, he's scored four goals and added one assist in over 6,700 minutes of regular season play.

Defender Tommy Smith will make his fourth start of the 2019 season against the Fire. The 28-year-old opened his goal-scoring account in the 69th minute of his 2019 debut at Toyota Stadium on March 23 against FC Dallas. Smith is in his second season with the Rapids after starting in 33 regular season games with the club in 2018, scoring four goals and adding three assists. Smith scored his first-ever MLS goal on June 13, 2018 against the Chicago Fire. His performance in that game earned him a spot on the MLS Team of the Week and Man of the Match honors. 

Homegrown defender Sam Vines will make his second consecutive start of the 2019 season this afternoon against the Chicago Fire. The 19-year-old earned Man of the Match honors after making his first-ever MLS start last weekend against D.C. United.

Midfielder Benny Feilhaber will make his seventh start for the Rapids since signing as a free agent on January 11. Feilhaber was named to the MLS Team of the Week for the second time this season for his performance last weekend against D.C. United, which saw the midfielder score a goal in the 11th minute and an assist on Kamara's 66th minute header. Since his MLS debut in 2011, the US international has scored 39 goals and added 58 assists in over 19,000 minutes of regular season play, including three goals and two assists against the Chicago Fire.

Midfielder Jack Pricewill make his seventh start of the season tonight after putting in a 57-minute shift last Saturday against D.C. United where he tallied an assist. The last time the Rapids played Chicago in 2018, Price grabbed his third assist of the season. He is currently in his second season with the Rapids after spending his previous seven years with Wolverhampton Wanders FC. 

Midfielder Kellyn Acostawill make his seventh start of the season tonight after going the full 90 last Saturday against D.C. United. The US international started all 12 matches following the trade from his hometown club FC Dallas in 2018, scoring two goals and adding three assists. Overall, the 23-year-old has 11 goals and 17 assists in his MLS career, including a goal and an assist against the Chicago Fire.

Midfielder Nicolás Mezquidareturns to the starting lineup after appearing for 33 minutes last weekend against D.C. United off the bench. The 27-year-old opened his 2019 account on April 6 with an equalizer in the 61st minute against Orlando City SC. Last weekend he tallied his first assist for the club against D.C. United. Since arriving in MLS, he's scored 13 goals and added five assists in over 4,900 minutes of regular season play.

Forward Diego Rubio will make his sixth start for the Rapids this afternoon after spending three seasons with Sporting Kansas City. The 25-year-old scored in the 54th minute against his former club on March 17. Rubio averaged 0.92 goals per 90 minutes in 2018 which put him behind only Atlanta’s Josef Martínez and LA Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimović. The Chilean bagged eight goals and six assists in 2018 in just 781 minutes.

Forward Kei Kamarawill make his eighth consecutive start for the club tonight after spending 2018 with Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The MLS veteran scored his 116th career goal last Saturday against D.C. United and currently holds the fifth spot on the all-time goals list in MLS history. Kamara has added 44 career assists to his goal total in over 24,000 minutes of regular season play. He's played in every minute of the 2019 campaign. Against Chicago, Kamara has nine career goals and three assists. 

On the Bench:

Goalkeeper Clint Irwinwill serve as the backup to Tim Howard tonight. Irwin rejoined the Rapids after spending three seasons with Toronto FC. The goalkeeper has appeared in 121 regular season games over his six-year MLS career, recording 33 shutouts.

Defender Axel Sjöberg will start tonight on the bench. Sjöberg is in his fifth season with the Rapids after being selected in the first round (No. 14 overall) of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. The defender was named Man of the Match after his performance against Sporting KC during the March 17 game at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park. Sjöberg was named to the MLS Best XI in 2016 after he anchored a defense that conceded a league-low 32 goals and set an MLS record for average goals against per home game of 0.41.

Dillon Sernawill start tonight on the bench. This is Serna'sseventh season with the club after signing on January 14, 2013, and he is just two games away from making his 100th regular season appearance for the Rapids.

Homegrown defender Sebastian Anderson appears on the gameday roster against the Chicago Fire. The 16-year-old became the youngest player to sign with the club when he inked his Homegrown contract last week. If Anderson appears today he will become the youngest Rapids player to make their MLS debut.

Homegrown midfielder Cole Bassett has appeared in six games so far this season and was named to the MLS Team of the Week (Week 6) after his performance on April 6 against Orlando City SC which saw the 17-year-old score a goal and record an assist. Bassett is in his second season with the Rapids after featuring in six regular season games with the club in 2018.

Midfielder Sam Nicholsonappears on the bench again today as a potential attacking threat for coach Anthony Hudson. Nicholson enters his second season with the Rapids after spending his previous two with Minnesota United FC. The winger found the back of the net twice in 19 appearances in 2018.

Forward Andre Shinyashikiis another goal-scoring option off the bench.The 21-year-old scored the dramatic stoppage-time equalizer in the 3-3 draw against Portland on March 2, which would eventually be voted MLS Goal of the Week (Week 1). The rookie was selected fifth overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft after four productive years at the University of Denver where he scored 51 goals and added 15 assists over 83 appearances at the NCAA level.

Colorado Rapids Injury Report