The 2021 regular season was one for the Colorado record books –– here are the biggest stats from the Rapids’ historic run.
In the 2021 regular season, Rapids’ captain Jack Price recorded 12 total assists, eight of which came from set pieces. The “Set Piece King” extended his existing run of set play success in 2021, as he has generated 22 assists from them since 2019.
Rapids’ goalkeeper William Yarbrough ran the MLS tables in 2021 after ranking in the top 5 in clean sheets, saves percentage (76.81%) and saves made (107) in the regular season. His 13 shutouts tied the Aguascalientes native for first in the league in that category, an accomplishment he shares with Nashville SC’s Joe Willis and New York Red Bulls’ Carlos Miguel Coronel. Yarbrough recorded the league-leading number of clean sheets despite playing less games than either Willis or Coronel.
This season alone, head coach Robin Fraser and the Rapids took home 61 points and 17 wins for the best regular season finish in club history. Of those wins, eight were taken on the road for the most in franchise history and tied for third-most in MLS. The seven losses suffered during 2021 were the fewest in the Western Conference.
Then there is Kellyn Acosta. The standout midfielder has been a constant for the USMNT in 2021. Acosta was one of only two players to be included on both the Nations League and Gold Cup rosters. He played the full 120 minutes in both final wins. He has also appeared in 21 matches in 2021, the most by a USMNT player in a calendar year since 1994.
At the helm, Rapids’ head coach Robin Fraser has made a historic run since his arrival in August 2019. In that time, Colorado has recorded the second-most points per game (1.76) in MLS.
The Rapids’ historic 2021 run could not have been made possible by just one or two superstars –– each player’s contributions led to the team’s best finish in the post-shootout era. Eighteen players scored at least one goal in the regular season, and 22 recorded either a goal or assist. Contributions from the bench were visible, as 29% of the goals recorded this season were scored or assisted by a substitute. Set piece goals highlighted the season as well, with 14 total scored for a first-place ranking in MLS.
