
Cole Bassett Earns Team of the Matchday Shout After Notching 25th Goal of his Career against Austin FC
June 17, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Colorado Rapids News Release
Colorado Rapids midfielder Cole Bassett recorded his sixth goal of the season on Saturday night, sending a screamer into the net from the top of the box to open the scoring against Austin FC at home in the 2-0 shutout. The 22-year-old's 22nd-minute strike made him the youngest player in Rapids history to notch 25 goals in their career, surpassing former striker and assistant coach Wolde Harris, who set the mark in 1999 at 25 years old.
Bassett read the play, started by Connor Ronan, to find himself open near the top of box as Ronan's cross in was deflected by Austin and then tracked down by Omir Fernandez. Fernandez's slight touch back to an oncoming Bassett, lined up with the center of the goal, found the Homegrown's foot for a powerful strike past goalkeeper Brad Stuver into the upper right corner. Fernandez's assist was his third of the season.
His goal was the sixth of the season, tying his single-season career-high recorded in 2023.
"I feel like I am the guy that tries to get everybody involved," he said postgame. "You know, give the ball to Djordje [Mihailovic], give the ball to Rafa [Navarro], Omir [Fernandez], Kévin [Cabral]. I can let them do their thing and then I can come from behind, and as the play develops, like how my goal happened, get shots from the top of the box. I feel like I have good finishing skills where I don't need too many chances to put one away. I think, for me, that is my role in the system."
Bassett recorded five goals over the course of the night, three of them on target. His efforts in the Rapids' shutout over Austin earned him the Man of the Match honor, as well.
Team of the Matchday - Matchday 20
F: Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Yuya Kubo (CIN), Gabriel Pec (LA)
M: Fabian Herbers (CHI), Luciano Acosta (CIN), Ryan Gauld (VAN)
D: Franco Escobar (HOU), Nkosi Tafari (DAL), Walker Zimmerman (NSH), Mohamed Farsi (CLB)
GK: Maarten Paes (DAL)
Coach: Frank Klopas (CHI)
Bench: Jonathan Sirois (MTL), Adilson Malanda (CLT), Joel Waterman (MTL), João Paulo (SEA), Cole Bassett (COL), Carles Gil (NE), Leo Afonso (MIA), Dejan Joveljic (LA), Cucho Hernández (CLB)
Major League Soccer Stories from June 17, 2024
- LA Galaxy Announce Juneteenth Programming Details for Home Match against New York City FC on Wednesday, June 19 - LA Galaxy
- Yuya Kubo Voted MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchday 20 - FC Cincinnati
- Chicago Fire FC Defender Rafael Czichos Receives U.S. Green Card - Chicago Fire FC
- Austin FC, St. David's Healthcare, Make-A-Wish Team up to Fulfill 13-Year-Old Sebastian's Soccer Dream - Austin FC
- Inter Miami CF Name Raúl Sanllehí and Xavier Asensi as Co-Presidents - Inter Miami CF
- Leo Afonso Named to MLS Team of the Matchday - Inter Miami CF
- Houston Dynamo Football Club to Observe Juneteenth Across Two Matches - Houston Dynamo FC
- Isolate Orlando's Backline: Ingredients of the Match - Charlotte FC
- Chicago Fire FC Weekly Update and Match Preview - Chicago Fire FC
- Franco Escobar Named to MLSSoccer.com Team of the Matchday - Houston Dynamo FC
- Four Herons Feature Ahead of Major International Competitions - Inter Miami CF
- Head Coach Frank Klopas and Midfielder Fabian Herbers Named to MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 20 - Chicago Fire FC
- Cole Bassett Earns Team of the Matchday Shout After Notching 25th Goal of his Career against Austin FC - Colorado Rapids
- Maarten Paes and Nkosi Tafari Named to MLSsoccer.com's Team of the Matchday Following a 2-0 Home Win Versus St. Louis CITY SC - FC Dallas
- Matchday Guide: FC Cincinnati vs Philadelphia Union - Juneteenth - FC Cincinnati
- Ownership Group of Sounders FC and Global Investment Firm Carlyle Invest in Three-Time NWSL Shield Winner Seattle Reign FC - Seattle Sounders FC
- Houston Dynamo FC Sign Forward Ezequiel Ponce from AEK Athens on Club-Record Transfer Fee - Houston Dynamo FC
- Toronto FC Celebrates Indigenous Heritage Match on June 19 - Toronto FC
- CF Montréal Organizes the Second Edition of BMO Women's Soccer Week - Club de Foot Montreal
- Chase Stadium to Host Friendly Between German Bundesliga Giants RB Leipzig and English Premier League Mainstays Wolverhampton Wanderers FC on August 3 - Inter Miami CF
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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