COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — For the fourth consecutive year, the Colorado Rapids will kick off their MLS season on the road as they face reigning Concacaf Champions League winners Seattle Sounders FC at Lumen Field on Sunday, February 26 (6 p.m. MT; FS1, FOX Deportes, Apple TV - Free, Altitude Sports Radio 950AM).Â
The Rapids, who are 1-1-1 in season openers under Robin Fraser, will look to return to the form that saw them record the second-most points per game on the road between 2020-21 and finish atop the Western Conference in 2021. They enter Sunday’s match following a busy offseason that saw several new additions to their roster, including goalkeeper Marko Ilić (KV Kortrijk, Belgium); defenders Andreas Maxsø (Brøndby IF, Denmark), Alex Gersbach (Grenoble, France), Moise Bombito (MLS SuperDraft, University of New Hampshire); midfielder Connor Ronan (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); and forwards Kévin Cabral (LA Galaxy) and Calvin Harris (FC Cincinnati). The club will also be bolstered by the return several players from season-long injuries, such as winger Braian Galván (ACL) and defender Aboubacar Keita (ACL), along with the return of homegrown midfielder Cole Bassett from his loan in the Netherlands with Fortuna Sittard.
Multiple Rapids players enter the season looking to build on individual records set with the club last year. Goalkeeper William Yarbrough recorded 26 clean sheets for the Rapids in 2022, tying him with Clint Irwin for second-most shutouts in club history. The two-time LigaMX champion is also one win away from tying Irwin for third-most wins by a goalkeeper in club history (35). On the attacking end of the pitch, forward Diego Rubio collected 23 goal contributions last season, (16 goals, 7 assists), setting a new club record. His 16 goals equaled the club’s single-season scoring record, while also helping the Chilean international set a new record for most game-winning goals all-time in club history (13).
Colorado and Seattle split their season series in 2022 with both teams winning their match at home. The Rapids will face a Sounders side that has retained the majority of their 2022 roster, while adding Brazilian forward HĂ©ber in an offseason trade with NYCFC. Last year, forward RaĂşl RuidĂaz was the Rave Green’s top goal scorer, bagging nine goals, while midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro was their top deliverer with 11 assists in his account.
