Colorado Rapids vs FC Dallas | Roster Notes | September 29, 2019

Starting XI:

Team captain Tim Howard make the last regular season home appearance of his career today. After three and a half years in Colorado and over 20 in his professional career, Howard will pay his final salute to the fans at DICK’s Sporting Goods Park. In January, the New Jersey native announced that 2019 will be the final season of his storied career. Howard was a mainstay on the US men's national team and spent more than 10 years in England before rejoining MLS with the Rapids in 2016. Since then, Howard has featured in 100 matches, boasting 23 shutouts and recording 329 saves.

Homegrown defender Sam Vines will make his 22nd start of 2019 today when the Rapids take on FC Dallas. The 20-year-old defender has played a total 1,969 minutes. Vines participated in the 2019 MLS Homegrown Game, where he faced Chivas de Guadalajara’s Under-20 team on July 30. Vines wore the captain’s armband in the second half of the exhibition match and converted from the penalty spot to help the Homegrown side win the contest in a shootout.

Defender Lalas Abubakar will make his 21st start with the Rapids as they take on FC Dallas. In 2019, Abubakar has started all 20 matches that he’s appeared in and has played over 1,800 minutes.The Ghanaian has been a mainstay in defense since joining the Rapids on loan from Columbus Crew SC in May. Abubakar appeared in 31 games for the Ohio club.

Tommy Smithwill make the 26th start of the season today. Smith has two goals and one assist to his name in 2019, his second season with the Rapids. Since joining Colorado in 2018, Smith has recorded 57 MLS career appearances, with six goals and four assists to his name.

Defender Keegan Rosenberrywill make his 33rd consecutive start of the season today. He scored his first goal with the Rapids on September 15 against Toronto. The 25-year-old is the only player that has played every minute of the 2019 MLS regular season for the Rapids. Prior to joining the club, Rosenberry spent three seasons with the Philadelphia Union, where he scored three goals and served up six assists over 81 appearances.

Midfielder Jack Price will make his 26th appearance of the 2019 season today against FC Dallas. Price has recorded 15 assists, and one goal for Colorado since being acquired from Wolverhampton on January 9, 2018. This is Price’s second season with the club.

Midfielder Kellyn Acosta will make his 30th start of the 2019 season when the Rapids face off against his former club, FC Dallas. Acosta is currently in his second season with the Rapids after spending his previous six years with FC Dallas. Overall, Acosta has played a total of 2,471 minutes and has recorded two goals and two assists in 2019. The US international joined the Rapids midway through the 2018 season.

Midfielder Sam Nicholson will make his 17th start of the 2019 season today when the Rapids face FC Dallas. Nicholson has scored two goals and has recorded four assists in 2019. Nicholson is in his second year with the Rapids, he joined the club from Minnesota United FC on May 1, 2018.

Andre Shinyashiki will make his 30th MLS appearance today as he continues his MLS Rookie of the Year campaign. In 2019, Shinyashiki has notched seven goals, two assists and played a total of 1,522 minutes. The 22-year-old was selected fifth overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft after four productive years at the University of Denver where he scored 51 goals and added 15 assists over 83 appearances at the NCAA level.

Diego Rubio will make his 25th appearance of the 2019 season today. Rubio recently returned from international duty after earning a call up to represent Chile for their friendlies against Argentina (9/5) and Honduras (9/10). Rubio appeared in the match in the 46th minute against Argentina and played all 90 minutes against Honduras. Rubio has recorded 10 goals and four assists for the Rapids in 2019.

Forward
Kei Kamara
will make his 341st MLS appearance today and will lead the Rapids attack when they take on FC Dallas. Kamara also recently returned from international duty with Sierra Leone, where he started both matches against Liberia, and scored in the 55th minute in leg two of their World Cup Qualifiers. In MLS action, the veteran bagged the second hat trick of his playing career when the Rapids defeated the Montreal Impact 6-3 on August 3. Kamara has scored 12 goals in 2019. Kamara is the first-ever MLS player to score 10 goals in a season for five different clubs.

On the Bench:

Goalkeeper Clint Irwin will back up Tim Howard against FC Dallas. Irwin has recorded 11 appearances and 42 saves in 2019. Irwin made his return to Colorado after being acquired from Toronto FC on December 14, 2018. Overall, Irwin has appeared in 132 regular season games over his MLS career, recording 34 shutouts.

Defender Axel Sjöberg is listed on the gameday roster. Sjöberg is in his fifth season with the Rapids after being selected in the first round (No. 14 overall) of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. Sjöberg has recorded seven appearances, five starts, and 435 minutes for the Rapids this season. Sjöberg was named to the MLS Best XI in 2016 after he anchored a defense that conceded a league-low 32 goals and set an MLS record for average goals against per home game of 0.41.

Danny Wilson is listed on the gameday roster against FC Dallas. In 2019, Wilson has scored two goals and added one assist in 1,320 minutes. Wilson opened his MLS account on May 11, 2019 against rival Real Salt Lake. This is Wilson’s second season with the club, he featured in 23 matches in the 2018 season

Homegrown defender Sebastian Anderson is listed on the gameday roster this afternoon. Earlier this month, Anderson was with the US U-17s, where he earned two starts. The 16-year-old has made six appearances for the Rapids this season. Anderson became the youngest Rapids player to make his MLS debut at 16 years and 262 days old against Atlanta United FC on April 27. He also became the youngest player to sign with the club when he inked his Homegrown contract on April 3.

Homegrown midfielder Cole Bassett features on the gameday roster today against FC Dallas. Earlier this month, Bassett with the US U-20s, where he scored a goal in each of his two most recent appearances. Bassett participated in the 2019 MLS Homegrown Game, where he faced Chivas de Guadalajara’s Under-20 team this week on July 30th. Bassett entered the match in the second half and scored the game-winning penalty in a shootout. Since signing his contract with the Rapids in 2018, the 17-year-old has scored two goals and has recorded two assists in MLS action. 

Midfielder Nicolás Mezquida is listed on the gameday roster. Since joining the Rapids this past offseason, the 27-year-old has scored four goals and added five assists, including three game-winning goals. Mezquida has recorded a total of 129 MLS appearances, 61 MLS starts, 16 goals, and nine assists in 5,757 minutes.

Jonathan Lewis features on the gameday roster today against FC Dallas. The 22-year-old has five goals so far in 2019. Lewis currently has 14 appearances for the Rapids in 2019 since being acquired via a trade with NYCFC on May 7, 2019. 

Colorado Rapids Injury Report