Colorado Rapids vs Seattle Sounders FC | Roster Notes | September 7, 2019

Starting XI:

Goalkeeper Clint Irwin will make his sixth start of the season tonight against Seattle Sounders FC. He has seven appearances and 29 saves in 2019. Irwin made his return to Colorado after being acquired from Toronto FC on December 14, 2018. Overall, Irwin has appeared in 128 regular season games over his MLS career, recording 33 shutouts.

Defender Keegan Rosenberrywill make his 29th consecutive start of the season tonight. The 25-year-old is the only player that has played every minute of the 2019 MLS regular season for the Rapids. Prior to joining the club, Rosenberry spent three seasons with the Philadelphia Union, where he scored three goals and served up six assists over 81 appearances.

Tommy Smithwill make his 22nd start of the season today. Smith has two goals and one assist to his name in 2019, his second season with the Rapids. Since joining Colorado in 2018, Smith has recorded 52 MLS career appearances, with six goals and four assists to his name.

Defender Lalas Abubakar will make his 17th start of the season tonight for the Rapids. The Ghanaian has been a mainstay in the lineup since joining the Rapids on loan from Columbus Crew SC, where he appeared in 31 games since 2017 for the Ohio club.

Sam Vineswill make his 19th start tonight against Seattle. Vines will make his 21st MLS appearance overall. Last month, Vines participated in the 2019 MLS Homegrown Game, where he faced Chivas de Guadalajara’s Under-20 team on July 30. Vines wore the captain’s armband in the second half of the exhibition match and converted from the penalty spot to help the Homegrown side win the contest in a shootout.

Midfielder Jack Price will make his 23rd appearance of the 2019 season tonight. Price has recorded 12 assists, and one goal for Colorado since being acquired from Wolverhampton on January 9, 2018. This is Price’s second season with the club.

Midfielder Kellyn Acosta will make his 26th appearance of the 2019 season tonight. Acosta is currently in his second season with the Rapids after spending his previous six years with FC Dallas. Overall, Acosta has played a total of 2,021 minutes and has recorded two goals and two assists in 2019. The US international joined the Rapids midway through the 2018 season.

Midfielder Nicolás Mezquida will make his 10th start of 2019. Since joining the Rapids this past offseason, the 27-year-old has scored three goals and added four assists, including two game-winning goals. Mezquida has a total of 127 MLS appearances, 59 MLS starts, 15 goals, and eight assists in 5,577 minutes. 

Midfielder Sam Nicholson will make the 47th MLS start of his career today and his 14th of the 2019 season. Nicholson has scored one goal and has recorded three assists in 2019. Nicholson is in his second year with the Rapids, he joined the club from Minnesota United FC on May 1, 2018.

Jonathan Lewis will make his ninth start of the 2019 season tonight against Seattle after scoring two goals last week against the New York Red Bulls. The 22-year-old has scored five goals and has recorded two assists for the Rapids in 2019. Lewis currently has 12 appearances for the Rapids in 2019 since being acquired via a trade with NYCFC on May 7, 2019. 

Andre Shinyashiki earns his 14th start of the 2019 season tonight against the Seattle Sounders. Shinyashiki has recorded five goals and two assists in 2019. The 22-year-old 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.

On the Bench:

Goalkeeper Andre Rawls serves as the backup to Clint Irwin tonight. The 27-year-old has been on loan with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, where he has recorded 37 saves in 13 appearances, and has kept five clean sheets. Rawls was selected third in the 2018 Re-Entry Draft on December 14, 2018 by the Rapids. Prior to joining Colorado, Rawls spent three seasons with New York City FC.

Danny Wilson will start on the bench tonight against the Sounders. Wilson opened his MLS account on May 11, 2019 against rival Real Salt Lake. This is Wilson’s second season with the club, he featured in 23 matches in the 2018 season.

Defender Axel Sjöberg is listed on the gameday roster. Sjöberg is in his fifth season with the Rapids after being selected in the first round (No. 14 overall) of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. Sjöberg has recorded six appearances, five starts, and 432 minutes for the Rapids this season. 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.

Homegrown midfielder Dillon Serna will feature on the gameday roster. Serna has made 13 appearances, six starts, and has recorded one assist in 2019. This is Serna's seventh season with the club after signing on January 14, 2013. The 25-year-old has scored nine goals during his career. Serna became the first Homegrown to reach 100 regular season appearances for the club on April 27 against Atlanta United FC.

Homegrown Matt Hundley features on the gameday roster tonight after being recalled from his loan with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC of USL. Hundley has spent the 2019 season on loan with Colorado Springs, where he's made 24 appearances, 14 starts, and has totaled 1,317 minutes. Hundley was signed to a Homegrown contract on January 15, 2019.

Niki Jackson
features on the gameday roster tonight after being recalled from his loan with Charlotte Independence of USL. This is Jackson’s second season with the Rapids after signing on February 20, 2018. Jackson has spent the majority of the 2019 season on loan with the Charlotte, where he has scored four goals in 18 games.

Homegrown Sam Raben features on the gameday roster tonight after being recalled from his loan with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC of USL. Raben has spent the 2019 season on loan with Colorado Springs, where he's made seven appearances, three starts, and has totaled 342 minutes. Raben signed to a one-year Homegrown contract on January 15, 2019.

Colorado Rapids Injury Report