Starting XI:
William Yarbrough, Keegan Rosenberry, Danny Wilson, Lalas Abubakar, Auston Trusty, Jack Price (C), Kellyn Acosta, Cole Bassett, Diego Rubio, Michael Barrios, Mark-Anthony Kaye
Bench: Clint Irwin, Drew Moor, Jonathan Lewis, Dominique Badji, Andre Shinyashiki, Nico Mezquida, Collen Warner, Braian Galván, Lucas Esteves
Player Availability Report:
Out – Younes Namli (injury)
"BEYOND LUCK"
The Rapids scored on two set pieces in their wins at Houston and LA Galaxy earlier this week. Lalas Abubakar started the scoring in the fifth minute in Houston with a header off Jack Price’s corner delivery. Andre Shinyashiki scored Colorado’s sixth goal from a corner kick this season when he headed the ball in at the far post just one minute after coming on against Galaxy.
The Rapids have scored on 36 set pieces (corners, indirect/direct free kicks) since 2019, by far the most in MLS (Seattle and D.C. trail with 26). Colorado is fifth in MLS with eight set-piece goals this season (SEA, NYC, PHI and NE are tied with nine).
“It’s all credit to Sharpie,” Shinashiki said after the win in LA. “Chris Sharpe, he is the one that sets all those plays up. We just do what we’re told. We were fortunate enough for it to work, but it’s also, like you said, a broken record in the sense that it keeps happening. We get to the point where it’s beyond luck. It’s training and it’s repetition.”
HIGH STAKES
The winner of the Rocky Mountain Cup will be determined off total points this season. The Rapids must earn a result on Saturday to keep their hopes of Rocky Mountain glory alive. If the teams are tied on points, the winner will be determined on aggregate score. If they are still tied, Colorado will keep the Cup. The Rapids visit RSL for the third and final meeting on Oct. 16.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
The Rapids have allowed the second-fewest goals in MLS with just 18 in 18 matches. Only Seattle has allowed fewer goals this year (16). Since the beginning of July, the Rapids have conceded .78 goals per game, second-best in MLS (Sporting KC, .75). The Rapids’ four clean sheets in nine games since then are tied for the most in MLS (NYC). Colorado has allowed just five goals on its eight-game home unbeaten run, posting four clean sheets in that time.
TEAM EFFORT
The Rapids are second in MLS with six goals scored by defenders this season (Seattle, 7) and are one of just four teams with four defenders that have scored this year. Lalas Abubakar and Keegan Rosenberry have two goals apiece, while Danny Wilson and Sam Vines scored one this season. Auston Trusty also took the shot that led to an own goal off Dallas Tanner Tessman on May 29.
KEEGAN HITS 150
Keegan Rosenberry’s next appearance will be the 150th of his MLS career. The 27-year-old has started and played a full 90 minutes in 138 of his 149 career appearances, including 64 of 69 regular season matches since joining the Rapids ahead of the 2019 season. Rosenberry played every minute of the season for Philadelphia as a rookie in 2016 and with the Rapids in 2019. He is one of three players (Auston Trusty, William Yarbrough) to play all 1,620 minutes this season, adding two goals and one assist.
News & Notes:
- Defender Lucas Esteves enters the gameday roster for the first time since being signed from Brazilian club Palmeiras on August 6.
- Defender Keegan Rosenberry makes the 150th appearance of his MLS career.
- Midfielder Kellyn Acosta returns to the starting lineup for the first time since July 7 after featuring for the USMNT in their Concacaf Gold Gup win.
- The Rapids have lost only once since the beginning of July, a 3-0 defeat to Real Salt Lake in Utah on July 24 - the Rapids are unbeaten in August and have won four of their last six matches.
- The Rapids look to conclude a busy three-match week with a third straight win. The Rapids topped Houston last Saturday 3-1 and then capped a two-game road trip with a 2-1 in Carson over the LA Galaxy.
