Colorado Rapids vs Columbus Crew SC | Roster Notes | May 25, 2019

Starting XI:

Team captain Tim Howard will make his 13th consecutive start of the 2019 season tonight. In January, the New Jersey native announced that 2019 will be his final season in 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, the Howard has featured in 87 games, boasting 19 shutouts and recording 292 saves. 

Defender Keegan Rosenberry will also make his 13th consecutive start of the season tonight. The Pennsylvania native is one of three players that has played every minute of the 2019 season so far. Before joining the Rapids, Rosenberry spent three seasons with the Philadelphia Union, scoring three goals and six assists. Rosenberry scored two goals during his rookie year (2016), including the game-winner against Columbus on August 25.

Defender Deklan Wynne will make his fifth consecutive start tonight. The 24-year-old is currently in his second season in Colorado after making 25 regular season appearances with the Rapids in 2018, 22 from the start. 

Defender Tommy Smith will make his second consecutive start tonight against Crew SC. The 29-year-old has featured in six games in 2019, scoring one goal and adding an assist. Smith is in his second season with the Rapids after his previous stint with Ipswich Town.

Homegrown defender Sam Vines returns to the starting lineup after subbing on in the 89th minute last weekend against the LA Galaxy. The 19-year-old has featured in five games in 2019. This will be Sam Vines' first-ever regular season appearance against Columbus.

Midfielder Jack Pricewill make his 11th start of the season tonight. The Englishman is currently in his second season with the Rapids after spending his previous seven years with Wolverhampton Wanders FC. Tonight will mark Price's second career appearance against Crew SC.

Midfielder Kellyn Acostawill make his 13th appearance of the 2019 season tonight. The 23-year-old opened his 2019 account the last time the Rapids played at home against Real Salt Lake. Overall, Acosta has 12 goals and 17 assists in his MLS career, including one assist against Columbus. The US international joined the Rapids midway through the 2018 season from his hometown club FC Dallas. 

Midfielder Sam Nicholsonearns his third consecutive start after an another impactful 90 minutes last Saturday against the LA Galaxy. Nicholson is in his second season with the Rapids after spending his previous two with Minnesota United FC. The winger found the back of the net twice in 19 appearances in 2018. Tonight will mark his first-ever appearance against Crew SC.

Forward Jonathan Lewismade his second consecutive start with the Rapids last Saturday against the LA Galaxy. Lewis put in a performance that landed him on the MLS Team of the Week. The USMNT forward joined the Colorado Rapids on May 7 from NYCFC where he featured in 31 games over three seasons, scoring three goals and five assists. Lewis was called up into the United States national team’s January camp this year under Gregg Berhalter and has recently been added to the preliminary roster for the 2019 Gold Cup.

Forward Diego Rubio will make his ninth start for the Rapids this afternoon after returning from suspension for an incident against Vancouver on May 3. The 25-year-old scored in the 54th minute against his former club, Sporting Kansas City, on March 17. Rubio averaged 0.92 goals per 90 minutes in 2018 which put him behind only Atlanta’s Josef Martínez and LA Galaxy’s Zlatan Ibrahimović. The Chilean bagged eight goals and six assists in 2018 in just 781 minutes. 

Forward Kei Kamarawill make his 13th consecutive start for the club tonight after spending 2018 with Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The MLS veteran currently holds the fifth spot on the all-time goals list in MLS with 119, six of which were against Crew SC. Kamara has added 44 career assists to his goal total in over 24,000 minutes of regular season play. The striker began his career in 2006 with Columbus and returned for a second stint with the club in 2015 that saw Kamara put up a career year and finish second in the MLS MVP race. Kamara has played every minute of the 2019 campaign for the Rapids.

On the Bench:

Goalkeeper Clint Irwinwill serve as the backup to Tim Howard tonight. Irwin rejoined the Rapids after spending three seasons with Toronto FC. The goalkeeper has appeared in 121 regular season games over his six-year MLS career, recording 33 shutouts, two of which were against Crew SC. 

Danny Wilsonwill start tonight on the bench. The 27-year-old defender has featured in five games during the 2019 season. He opened his MLS account in the Rapids last home game against Real Salt Lake. Wilson is in his second season with the club, featuring in 23 games in 2018.

Homegrown defender Sebastian Anderson features on the gameday roster against Columbus Crew SC. 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. Anderson has made three appearances with the Rapids so far this season.

Homegrown midfielder Cole Bassett has appeared in eight games so far this season and was named to the MLS Team of the Week (Week 6) for his performance on April 6 against Orlando City SC which saw the 17-year-old score a goal and record an assist. Bassett is in his second season with the Rapids after featuring in six regular season games with the club in 2018.

Midfielder Nicolás Mezquidaappears on the gameday roster as a creative option off the bench. The 27-year-old scored his first goal of 2019 on April 6 in the 61st minute against Orlando City SC. Since arriving in MLS, Mezquida has scored 13 goals and added five assists in just over 5,000 minutes of regular season play.

Homegrown midfielder Dillon Serna will start tonight on the bench. This is Serna's seventh season with the club after signing on January 14, 2013. The 25-year-old has scored nine goals through the course of his career. Serna became the first Homegrown to reach 100 regular season appearances for the club on April 27 against Atlanta United FC. 

Forward Andre Shinyashikiprovides a goal-scoring option off the bench.The 21-year-old has featured in nine games in 2019, scoring the dramatic stoppage-time equalizer in the 3-3 draw against Portland on March 2. That goal would eventually be voted MLS Goal of the Week (Week 1). The rookie also scored the game-winner against the LA Galaxy last Sunday. Shinyashiki 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.

Additional Roster Notes:

Defender Lalas Abubakar is unavailable for tonight's game per terms of his loan. According to the 2019 MLS Roster Rules and Regulations, 'Intraleague loaned players may not compete against his former club during the MLS Season while on loan (includes MLS games and all other competitions).'

Colorado Rapids Injury Report: