Starting XI:
Forward Giles Barnes starts up top for the Rapids tonight. The London, England native will be making his third start for Colorado. Barnes has been sidelined due to an ankle injury that has limited his playing time. He's featured four times racking up 193 minutes.
Midfielder Johan Blomberg returns to the Starting XI as he replaces Nana Boateng who is suspended for this match. Blomberg played 68 minutes, logged 27 successful passes, two crosses and 40 touches against LAFC on August 19, in his most recent start. The Swede has featured 1,345 total minutes and has three assists this year.
Defender Edgar Castillo picked up his fourth consecutive HealthOne Player of the Month title. 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) in August. Castillo is second behind Jack Price with 1,512 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.
Defender Kortne Ford is making his 11th start for the Rapids. The Olathe, Kansas native played 70 minutes against RSL on August 25. The 22-year-old recorded 20 successful passes and 36 touches. Ford notched his first MLS Team of the Week honors for his performance during Week 20 against the Houston Dynamo.
Midfielder Shkëlzen Gashi will start tonight at the top of the diamond in the midfield. Gashi has featured 14 times, three from the start, and logged 374 minutes. He has one goal and two assists. This will be Gashi's first start since July 4. He has come off the bench for the Rapids a combined 11 times in 2018.
Goalkeeper Tim Howard surpassed his best 84 saves in a season as a Rapid against RSL as he advanced to 90 total saves on the year. He starts in goal for his 68th time since joining the club in 2016. 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 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 Jack McBean will make his sixth consecutive start tonight. He 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 70 touches, 61 successful passes, two intercepted passes, two recoveries and six good long balls against RSL. In his first season with the Rapids, Price has started 24 times and played 2,120 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 1,801 touches and 1,484 attempted passes in 2018.
Midfielder Dillon Serna is in the Starting XI for the fourth time this season. He played his third 90-minute game at the top of the Rapids diamond in the midfield against RSL. 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 13 times this season, three from the start, racking up 551 minutes.
Centerback Tommy Smith has played 2,340 minutes in 26 consecutive starts in 2018. 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 55 total clearances in 2018. Wilson has recorded 1,665 minutes, seven shots and an assist in his first season with the Rapids in which he has featured 20 times, 19 from the start. Wilson played five games in the midfield earlier this season.
On the Bench:
Midfielder Cole Bassett makes an appearance in the Rapids' 18 for a third 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.
Forward Caleb Calvert was recalled from USL side Charlotte Independence to be part of the Rapids' 18 tonight. Calvert has played a combined 543 minutes in 20 career-matches for the Rapids, four from the start, and has one goal since joining Colorado in November of 2014.
Midfielder Marlon Hairston returns to the Rapids' 18 tonight. Hairston has made eight appearances, seven from the start and has played 568 minutes this season. The 24-year-old has made one appearance off the bench in 2018.
Midfielder Sam Hamilton can get his first minutes of the season should he sub-in against Portland. The Denver, Colorado native has played a combined 124 minutes in three appearances since joining the Rapids in March of 2017.
Goalkeeper Zac MacMath has featured in two games this season. MacMath’s first start 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 returns to the Rapids' 18 tonight. The Montevideo, Uruguay native has played in 18 games this season, 13 from the start and has two assists.
Wingback Deklan Wynne took the field against RSL in the 70th minute as he subbed-in for Kortne Ford in the second-half of play. The versatile defender has played 1,685 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 20 appearances for Colorado, 18 from the start.
