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William Yarbrough plays through pain, replaces club record for clean sheets in a season as Colorado Rapids blank Austin FC

COMMERCE CITY • A couple of costly Austin FC miscues allowed Colorado Rapids to cruise to a 3-0 win Wednesday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

“I thought we played tonight at the appropriate tempo,” Rapids coach Robin Fraser said. “Because we did, we were able to create some chances and have pretty good control of the game.”

After a scoreless first 45 minutes, the visitors made their first misstep in the one minute of first-half stoppage time. Jonathan Lewis got a head to Jack Price’s cross and watched the ball deflect off an Austin defender and into goal. The goal was originally announced as an own goal before Lewis got credit in the second half.

Colorado took advantage of another Austin miscue in the first minute after halftime, as goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell played an errant pass, under pressure from Cole Bassett, right to Nicolas Mezquida on the left flank. Mezquida controlled the ball and calmly converted to put Colorado up 2-0.

“I thought Nico was really, really good tonight. His energy was fantastic. His ability to take care of the ball in tight spaces, I think, was excellent. His work rate, defensively, was excellent, and he gave us a lot going forward. I was really happy for him that he was able to get that goal,” Fraser said.

“The pressure by the front group was really good. Cole’s decision of when to go and pressure there was excellent, and Nico’s in the right place at the right time. It was a really fantastic finish by him.”

Auston Trusty made it a multiple-assist night for Price when he headed a corner kick past Tarbell in the 59th minute.

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Rapids goalkeeper William Yarbrough hit the pitch while clutching one knee in the 47th minute, but he stayed in the match.

“I’m doing all right. The knee is a bit swollen and it feels kind of tight, but I wanted to stay on the field, man, and help my teammates get this win,” Yarbrough said. “I’m sure tomorrow it will be pretty sore. Now, it’s a matter of taking care of myself (and) coming in for treatments so I’m ready to go Sunday.”

Yarbrough made a couple of routine saves in the second half for his 11th clean sheet of the season. That mark is tied for the most in Major League Soccer and gives Yarbrough the club record for shutouts in a single season.

“That is not only the defense getting the clean sheets. It’s the work of the entire team,” Colorado’s keeper said. “The attention to detail in training sessions and the work everyone puts in during the 90 minutes of games, it starts with forwards all the way to the keeper. I think it just shows the chemistry this team has, the understanding we have of what Robin asks of us.”

Colorado finished with a slight edge in possession and shot on goal.

The win broke a stretch of four consecutive draws and extended the Rapids’ unbeaten streak to a league-best 12 games.

The Rapids will take 48 points from 26 matches into Sunday’s match at Seattle Sounders, the leaders of Major League Soccer’s Western Conference to start Wednesday night.

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