Starting XI:
Midfielder Kellyn Acosta has two goals and two assists in five games. The 23-year-old can record a career season-high in goals and assists should he reach four goals and/or four assists. Against San Jose, Acosta logged two assists, one of which was a perfectly-delivered ball to Tommy Smith to open the scoreline. Acosta kicked-off his Rapids career with a goal in the 82nd minute against D.C. United. He fired his second goal into the bottom right corner of the goal from outside of the box in the 50th minute to tie the match 1-1 against the Galaxy, a match the Rapids would go on to win 2-1. The Plano, TX native notched consecutive goals in both of first two league starts. He received his first MLS Team of the Week (24) honor with the Rapids on August 13.
Midfielder Nana Boateng is in the Starting XI for the eighth time this season. He scored his first MLS goal against San Jose on August 11. The Accra, Ghana native scored the game-winning goal in the 93rd minute to give the Rapids their second-consecutive win at home. He was an unused substitute at LAFC last weekend.
Defender Edgar Castillo has had a successful August after picking up two MLS Team of the Week honors in the last three weeks. He recorded his third goal this season in the 74th minute against the LA Galaxy and set up Niki Jackson for an equalizer in the 82nd minute. The skillful defender notched consecutive assists in three games (vs LA, vs SJ and at LA) earlier this month. Castillo is second behind Jack Price with 1,458 touches this season. Two of Castillo’s blistering goals have been nominated for MLS Goal of the Week (Week 14 and 17). The Las Cruces, NM native is one of two defenders (Smith) who have scored for the Rapids this season. He co-led the Rapids in chances created (2) and had the second most touches with 95 on the road at LA Galaxy.
Defender Kortne Ford is making his 10th start for the Rapids. The Olathe, Kansas native played 45 minutes against LAFC, but his time on the field was cut short due to injury. The 22-year-old recorded 11 successful passes and 22 touches before being subbed out at halftime. Ford notched his first MLS Team of the Week honors for his performance during Week 20 against the Houston Dynamo.
Goalkeeper Tim Howard is one save away from his best as a Rapid, 84 saves in a season. He starts in goal for his 67th time since joining the club in 2016. Howard recorded three saves in the Rapids' first-ever contest against LAFC. His performance against San Jose earned him his third MLS Team of the Week (24) selection of this season. The US Men's national team legend has 83 saves and four clean sheets in 2018. He was named to the MLS Team of the Week during Week 4 and in Week 18 after his 10-save performance during the 1-0 road win in Vancouver.
Forward Niki Jackson will start in his first-ever MLS game tonight against Real Salt Lake on the day of his 23rd birthday. Jackson scored his second goal of the season in the 82nd minute to give the Rapids an important road point against the Galaxy on August 14. The rookie forward has logged 200 minutes in eight appearances.
Striker Jack McBean is one goal away from setting his personal career-high in a season. He scored his second of the season against RSL after converting on a penalty kick in the 33rd minute. The Newport Beach, California native scored his first goal of the season in the 85th minute against the New York Red Bulls on May 12. McBean led the team with five crosses, two shots on goal and three chances created at LAFC. Earlier in August, he set a new personal MLS career-high in appearances (19) and minutes (856) while playing against his former club LA Galaxy on August 14.
Midfielder Jack Price led the team with 119 touches, 93 successful passes, two intercepted passes, eight recoveries and eight good long balls against at LAFC. In his first season with the Rapids, Price has started 23 times and played 2,050 minutes. He has one goal and four assists. The Englishman has logged one game-winning goal (vs TOR) and one game-winning assist (vs PHI) this season. He leads the team with 1,731 touches and 1,420 attempted passes in 2018.
Midfielder Dillon Serna is in the Starting XI for the third time this season. Last Sunday, he played his second 90-minute game at the top of the Rapids diamond in the midfield. Serna scored his first goal of the 2018 season with an 88th minute equalizer in the dying minutes versus RSL. The Homegrown player has featured 12 times this season, two from the start, racking up 461 minutes.
Centerback Tommy Smith has made 25 consecutive starts and recorded 2,250 minutes this season. Smith is tied for second (alongside Castillo) on the team with 25 total shots on the year. Tommy opened up the scoreline and notched his third MLS goal at home against San Jose on August 11. He has been named to the MLS Team of the Week on two occasions (Week 17 and 18). Smith is the only Rapid to have started in every game.
Centerback Danny Wilson is in third amongst the defenders with 54 total clearances in 2018. Wilson has recorded 1,575 minutes, seven shots and an assist in his first season with the Rapids in which he has featured 19 times, 18 from the start. Wilson played five games in the midfield earlier this season.
On the Bench:
Forward Giles Barnes is in the Rapids 18 for a second-consecutive week as he continues to recover from an ankle injury. The London, England native will look to feature tonight in what could be his fourth game as a Rapid.
Midfielder Cole Bassett makes an appearance in the Rapids 18 for a second time in his young professional career. Should the Littleton, Colorado native take the pitch for his first minutes, he will become the youngest-ever Rapid to play in an MLS game.
Midfielder Johan Blomberg played 68 minutes, logging 27 successful passes, two crosses and 40 touches against LAFC on August 19. The Swede has featured 1,325 total minutes and has three assists this year.
Midfielder Shkëlzen Gashi is on the bench tonight ahead of the final game of the Rocky Mountain Cup rivalry. Gashi has featured 14 times, three from the start, and logged 374 minutes. He has one goal and two assists.
Goalkeeper Zac MacMath has featured in two games this season. MacMath’s first start of the season was against Orlando City SC on April 29. He is currently in his fourth season in Colorado with 158 minutes and nine saves in 2018.
Midfielder Enzo Martinez will have featured in all three of the matches against RSL should he come on the field tonight. The Montevideo, Uruguay native has played in 18 games this season, 13 from the start.
Wingback Deklan Wynne took the field at LAFC in place of an injured Kortne Ford in the second-half of play. The versatile defender has played 1,665 minutes and logged a Week 5 MLS Team of the Week selection in 2018. The Rapids acquired Wynne from Vancouver last December. He has made 19 appearances for Colorado, 18 from the start.
