A few key names were left off the Starting XI for the Colorado Rapids season opener against FC Dallas.
Starting left back Sam Vines and right back Lalas Abubakar were left out of the lineup after sustaining injuries during the pre-season friendly against Phoenix Rising FC.
The Rapids’ makeshift backline was about as perfect as they could be, picking up the clean sheet in a 0-0 draw.
“I thought they did a really good job (of keeping the clean sheet),” head coach Robin Fraser said. “Auston (Trusty) came in and was solid. Danny(Wilson) having to play the right side was extremely solid. Kellyn (Acosta) is someone who had to be inserted during the week. His movement with the back line was excellent. And Keegan (Rosenberr) I thought was very, very solid.”
That was the first 0-0 draw in Fraser’s tenure with the Rapids. It took 27 games for Fraser to see his first goalless bout.
Kellyn Acosta, typically a starting midfielder, filled in at left back in place of Vines and put in an admirable performance.
“He had a few days to prepare for playing completely out of position,” Fraser said. “And I thought his commitment to doing it well was fantastic and it showed on both ends of the field. He defended really well.”
Acosta led both teams in successful tackles with four and was 6-for-9 in duels won while playing all 90 minutes.
“He was fantastic again tonight,” The fullback opposite of him, Keegan Rosenberry, said. “He defended well, he got forward at times and he’s one of the back four that got the shutout. It’s a team shutout but obviously defenders take it more personally.”
The other fill-in, Auston Trusty, played like he had something to prove. The young center back only started five games for the Rapids last season after starting 22 for the Philadelphia Union a year prior.
“Auston was great tonight,” Rosenberry said. “That’s the quality he was offering tonight and what he possesses. He’s athletic, he’s strong, he’s good in the air and he connected his passes tonight. He did well.”
Danny Wilson and Rosenberry put in veteran performances, both worthy of man of the match praise, and showed why this could be a formidable backline for the Burgundy Boys when everybody is healthy.
