The 2019 Colorado Rapids season was the club's twenty-fourth season of existence and their twenty-fourth consecutive season in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top flight of American soccer. Colorado also competed in the U.S. Open Cup. The season covers the period from October 29, 2018 to the start of the 2020 Major League Soccer season.
Background
Colorado finished the 2018 season second-bottom of the Western Conference table, with the third-worst overall record in MLS. The Rapids finished 11th in the Western Conference and 21st in the overall table. The team scored a league-low 36 goals in 34 matches, and conceded 63 goals. Dominique Badji, who was traded to FC Dallas on July 23, led Colorado with seven goals across all competitions.
Outside of MLS play, the Rapids played in the 2018 edition of the U.S. Open Cup, where they lost in the fourth round to Nashville SC. They also played in the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Toronto FC.
Roster
No. Name Nationality Position(s) Date of birth (age) Signed in Previous club Apps Goals Goalkeepers 1 Tim Howard GK 2016 Everton 103 0 15 Andre Rawls GK 2019 New York City FC 0 0 31 Clint Irwin GK 2019 Toronto FC 105 0 Defenders 2 Keegan Rosenberry DF 2019 Philadelphia Union 35 1 3 Kofi Opare DF 2019 D.C. United 3 0 4 Danny Wilson DF 2018 Rangers 45 2 5 Tommy Smith DF 2018 Ipswich Town 64 7 6 Lalas Abubakar DF 2019 Columbus Crew SC (loan) 23 0 13 Sam Vines DF 2018 Charlotte Independence 28 0 18 Sam Raben DF 2019 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 0 0 22 Sebastian Anderson DF 2019 Colorado Rapids Academy 7 1 24 Kortne Ford DF 2017 Denver Pioneers 38 1 27 Deklan Wynne DF 2018 Whitecaps FC 2 39 0 44 Axel Sjöberg DF 2015 Marquette Golden Eagles 95 3 Midfielders 10 Kellyn Acosta MF 2018 FC Dallas 44 4 17 Dillon Serna MF 2013 Akron Zips 113 12 19 Jack Price MF 2018 Wolverhampton Wanderers 61 2 20 Nicolás Mezquida MF 2019 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 33 5 26 Cole Bassett MF 2018 Colorado Rapids U-23 27 3 28 Sam Nicholson MF 2018 Minnesota United FC 48 4 Forwards 7 Diego Rubio FW 2019 Sporting Kansas City 27 12 11 Jonathan Lewis FW 2019 New York City FC 16 5 12 Niki Jackson FW 2018 Grand Canyon Antelopes 20 3 23 Kei Kamara FW 2019 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 29 14 29 Matt Hundley FW 2019 UCLA Bruins 0 0 99 Andre Shinyashiki FW 2019 Denver Pioneers 31 7 Out on loan 8 Johan Blomberg MF 2018 AIK 30 0 14 Abdul Rwatubyaye DF 2019 Sporting Kansas City 0 0
Non-competitive
Preseason
Midseason
Competitive
Major League Soccer
Standings
Western Conference
Overall table
Results summary
Results by round
Match results
U.S. Open Cup
Statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan=10 align=center|Players who left Colorado during the season:
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name MLS U.S. Open Cup Total 1 GK Tim Howard100010 2 DF Keegan Rosenberry301040 4 DF Danny Wilson401050 5 DF Tommy Smith310031 6 DF Lalas Abubakar700070 7 FW Diego Rubio10100101 8 MF Johan Blomberg111021 10 MF Kellyn Acosta811091 11 FW Jonathan Lewis200020 13 DF Sam Vines200020 19 MF Jack Price910091 20 MF Nicolás Mezquida400040 22 DF Sebastian Anderson110011 23 FW Kei Kamara510051 26 MF Cole Bassett100010 28 MF Sam Nicholson200020 44 DF Axel Sjöberg010102 99 FW Andre Shinyashiki300030Players who left Colorado during the season: 6 MF Benny Feilhaber300030
Clean sheets No. Name MLS U.S. Open Cup Total Games Played 1 Tim Howard50525 15 Andre Rawls0000 31 Clint Irwin10112
Transfers
In Pos.PlayerTransferred fromFee/notesDateSource MF Nicolás Mezquida Vancouver Whitecaps FC Vancouver receives GK Zac MacMath. Dec 9, 2018 FW Kei Kamara FC Cincinnati Cincinnati receives a 2019 International Roster Spot. Dec 11, 2018 GK Andre Rawls New York City FC Selected in Stage One of the 2018 MLS Re-Entry Draft. Dec 14, 2018 GK Clint Irwin Toronto FC Toronto receives a second round pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. Dec 14, 2018 FW Diego Rubio Sporting Kansas City SKC receives MF Kelyn Rowe, $300,000 in allocation money. Dec 18, 2018 DF Keegan Rosenberry Philadelphia Union Philadelphia receives $300,000 in allocation monies, future considerations. Dec 19, 2018 MF Benny Feilhaber Los Angeles FC Signed to a one-year contract with a club option for 2020. Jan 11, 2019 FW Andre Shinyashiki Denver Pioneers Selected in the First Round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. Jan 11, 2019 FW Matt Hundley UCLA Bruins Signed as a Homegrown Player. Jan 15, 2019 DF Sam Raben Wake Forest Demon Deacons Signed as a Homegrown Player. Jan 15, 2019 DF Kofi Opare D.C. United Signed to a one-year contract. Feb 25, 2019 DF Sebastian Anderson Colorado Rapids Academy Signed as a Homegrown Player. Apr 3, 2019 FW Jonathan Lewis New York City FC NYCFC receives $650,000 in targeted allocation money, a 2020 International Roster Spot. May 8, 2019 DF Abdul Rwatubyaye Sporting Kansas City SKC receives MF Benny Feilhaber. May 8, 2019
SuperDraft
The following players were selected by Colorado in the MLS SuperDraft, but did not sign a contract with the club.
Pos.PlayerCollegeNotesDateSource DF Marcello Borges Michigan Wolverines Selected in the second round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. Signed for Detroit City for the NPSL Members Cup. Jan 11, 2019 DF Jacob Hauser-Ramsey UConn Huskies Selected in the second round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. Signed for Memphis 901 on Mar 21, 2019. Jan 11, 2019 MF Robbie Mertz Michigan Wolverines Selected in the Fourth Round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. Signed for Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Mar 29, 2019. Jan 14, 2019
Loan in Pos.PlayerParent clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource DF Lalas Abubakar Columbus Crew SC Remainder of the 2019 Major League Soccer season. Columbus receives $125,000 in targeted allocation money. May 8, 2019
Out Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesDateSource MF Giles Barnes Hyderabad FC Contract option declined. Signed for Hyderabad on Oct 9, 2019. Nov 27, 2018 FW Yannick Boli Ratchaburi Mitr Phol Contract expired. Signed for Ratchaburi on Dec 11, 2018. Nov 27, 2018 FW Caleb Calvert Saint Louis FC Contract option declined. Signed for Saint Louis on Dec 22, 2018. Nov 27, 2018 DF Kip Colvey Contract option declined. Retired. Nov 27, 2018 DF Mike da Fonte OKC Energy Contract option declined. Signed for OKC on Mar 28, 2019. Nov 27, 2018 GK Andrew Dykstra Contract expired. Retired Nov 27, 2018 MF Sam Hamilton New Mexico United Contract option declined. Signed for New Mexico on Nov 28, 2018. Nov 27, 2018 MF Enzo Martínez Charlotte Independence Contract option declined. Signed for Charlotte on Dec 20, 2018. Nov 27, 2018 FW Jack McBean Contract option declined. Retired. Nov 27, 2018 MF Ricardo Pérez Lansing Ignite Contract option declined. Signed for Lansing on Mar 13, 2019. Nov 27, 2018 GK Zac MacMath Vancouver Whitecaps FC Colorado receives MF Nicolás Mezquida, $100,000 in targeted allocation money. Dec 9, 2018 DF Edgar Castillo New England Revolution Colorado receives MF Kelyn Rowe. Dec 18, 2018 MF Marlon Hairston Houston Dynamo Colorado receives $175,000 in general allocation money. Jan 11, 2019 FW Shkëlzen Gashi FC Aarau Waived. Signed for Aarau on Jul 12, 2019. Mar 1, 2019 MF Benny Feilhaber Sporting Kansas City Colorado receives DF Abdul Rwatubyaye, a 2019 International Roster Spot, $50,000 in targeted allocation money, a second round pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, future considerations. May 8, 2019 MF Bismark Adjei-Boateng Kuopion Palloseura Contract terminated by mutual consent. Signed for Kuopion Palloseura on Dec 12, 2019. Jul 12, 2019
Loan out Pos.PlayerLoanee clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSourceDF Sam Raben Colorado Springs SwitchbacksDuration of the 2019 USL Championship season. Feb 18, 2019 Mar 9, 2019 Mar 16, 2019 Sep 7, 2019 FW Matt Hundley Colorado Springs Switchbacks Duration of the 2019 USL Championship season. Mar 6, 2019 Sep 7, 2019GK Andre Rawls Colorado Springs SwitchbacksDuration of the 2019 USL Championship season. Mar 6, 2019 Mar 15, 2019 Mar 23, 2019 May 29, 2019 Jun 1, 2019 Jul 27, 2019 Aug 31, 2019 Sep 7, 2019GK Clint Irwin Colorado Springs SwitchbacksOne game. Mar 15, 2019 Mar 23, 2019 Apr 24, 2019 Apr 27, 2019 May 4, 2019 May 11, 2019 DF Kofi Opare Colorado Springs Switchbacks One game. Mar 15, 2019 Apr 6, 2019 FW Niki Jackson Charlotte Independence Duration of the 2019 USL Championship season. Apr 12, 2019 Aug 31, 2019FW Andre Shinyashiki Colorado Springs SwitchbacksOne game. Apr 24, 2019 Apr 27, 2019 May 4, 2019 May 11, 2019 DF Abdul Rwatubyaye Colorado Springs Switchbacks Remainder of the 2019 USL Championship season. May 17, 2019 MF Johan Blomberg GIF Sundsvall Remainder of his contract. Aug 13, 2019 DF Sebastian Anderson Colorado Springs Switchbacks Remainder of the 2019 Major League Soccer season. Aug 23, 2019 Aug 27, 2019 MF Cole Bassett Colorado Springs Switchbacks Remainder of the 2019 Major League Soccer season. Aug 23, 2019 Aug 27, 2019
Awards +MLS Team of the WeekWeekStartersBenchOpponent(s)Link 1 Benny Feilhaber Tim Howard Portland Timbers 6 Cole Bassett Orlando City SC 7 Benny Feilhaber D.C. United 12 Jonathan Lewis LA Galaxy 13 Sam Nicholson Columbus Crew SC 14 Andre Shinyashiki Philadelphia UnionFC Cincinnati 15 Lalas Abubakar Tim Howard Kei Kamara Jack Price Minnesota United FC 16 Lalas Abubakar Kei Kamara Vancouver Whitecaps FC 17 Sam Vines Los Angeles FC 22 Kei Kamara Jack Price Montreal Impact 23 Keegan Rosenberry Diego Rubio San Jose Earthquakes 24 Diego Rubio Minnesota United FCHouston Dynamo 26 Jonathan Lewis Tommy Smith New York Red Bulls 27 Andre Shinyashiki Sam Vines Keegan Rosenberry Seattle Sounders FC 28 Keegan Rosenberry LA GalaxyToronto FC 29 Jack Price Kei Kamara Tommy Smith Sporting Kansas City 30 Kei Kamara Sam Vines FC Dallas
+MLS Goal of the WeekWeekPlayerOpponentLink 1 Andre Shinyashiki Portland Timbers
+MLS Player of the WeekWeekPlayerOpponentLink 27 Andre Shinyashiki Seattle Sounders FC
Kits
Type Shirt Shorts Socks First appearance / Record HomeBurgundyBlueBurgundyMatch 1 vs. Portland / 9–10–5 AwayWhiteWhiteWhiteMatch 4 vs. Dallas / 3–6–1 SpecialtyTealTealTealMatch 8 vs. Chicago / 0–1–0
See also Colorado Rapids 2019 in American soccer 2019 Major League Soccer season
References