Starting XI:
Clint Irwin, Keegan Rosenberry, Danny Wilson, Auston Trusty, Lalas Abubakar, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Jack Price (C), Kellyn Acosta, Andre Shinyashiki, Michael Barrios, Braian Galván
Bench: Abraham Rodriguez, Drew Moor, Dominique Badji, Diego Rubio, Nico Mezquida, Younes Namli, Cole Bassett, Steven Beitashour, Lucas Esteves
Player Availability Report:
Out - William Yarbrough (injury)
Notes:
FEAR THE BEARD
Jack Price picked up two assists on Wednesday against Austin, moving his season total to 11 and into a tie for second-most in MLS. The captain now has four assists in his last four games, his best stretch since he picked up seven assists in seven games from May to August of 2019. Price has assisted on three of Colorado’s last five goals. His assist on Auston Trusty’s goal on Wednesday was his ninth off a corner kick, bringing Colorado to 11 set piece goals this season, tied for the most in MLS. His 11 assists on the year tie a Rapids career high; the club’s individual single-season record is 16 assists by Carlos Valderrama in 2002.
WILL POWER
William Yarbrough set an individual single-season club record with his 11th clean sheet of the season on Wednesday. Yarbrough’s four-save performance upped his total to 82 this season, fourth-most in MLS, and his 77.14 save percentage is the best in MLS among goalkeepers with at least 10 appearances. The Aguascalientes, Mexico, native has allowed just 24 goals this season, the fewest by any goalkeeper to play all his team’s minutes this season.
A TEAM EFFORT
After Auston Trusty’s goal on Wednesday against Austin, the Rapids now have eight goals from defenders this season, which is tied with Seattle for the league lead. Colorado and Seattle also lead MLS with three defenders with at least two goals. Colorado’s 77.98 team save percentage is the highest in MLS. The Rapids are two clean sheets away from 13 in 2021, tying a single-season club record set in 2016.
TRAILBLAZER
Cole Bassett’s next start will be the 50th of his MLS career. Bassett will become the second Rapids Academy product to reach the milestone with Colorado (Shane O’Neill). The Littleton, Colo., native became the first Rapids Academy product to reach 10 MLS assists when he found Nico Mezquida for his first goal of the season on Wednesday against Austin. Bassett has one goal in two career matches against Seattle.
CAN'T HEAR YOU
The Rapids are unbeaten in their last three matches against Sounders FC, all of which were played at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, outscoring Seattle 6-2 in that span. Colorado has lost its last three visits to Seattle, with its last win coming in 2016. The Rapids have never gone unbeaten in four straight against Seattle.
- Dominique Badji has two goals and two assists in seven career matches against Seattle.
- Mark-Anthony Kaye has four assists in nine matches against Seattle, his highest total against any MLS opponent.
- Andre Shinyashiki has three goals in 250 minutes across four appearances against Seattle, the most he has scored against any MLS opponent. The 24-year-old is currently 73 minutes away from reaching 4,000 in his career.
- Michael Barrios has two goals and two assists in 11 career matches against Seattle. The Colombian scored the equalizer in the first meeting on July 4.
- Drew Moor has three goals in 15 career matches against Seattle. His next appearance will be the 400th of his career.
NOTES & MILESTONES
- Clint Irwin makes his first start of the season. It is his 105th appearance with the club, second-most among goalkeepers all-time.
- A Rapids win or draw on Sunday would extend their road unbeaten streak to seven games, setting a new club record.
- The Rapids are 8-1-8 since the start of July, which is second-best in MLS. Their one loss is the fewest in MLS in that time.
