Lalas Abubakar

Acquired:Via a trade with Columbus Crew SC on November 20, 2019. 

MLS CAREER

2021

• Played 1,925 minutes in 24 appearances, 23 of them starts, and scored two goals in the regular season 
• Scored game-winning goal off corner kick against FC Dallas on 7/21 
• Scored Rapids’ earliest goal in a game all season in the fifth minute off a corner at Houston Dynamo FC on 8/14 
• Played 90 minutes in Western Conference Semifinal loss to Portland Timbers  
• Named to MLS Team of the Week in Week 14 

2020

• Played 1,515 minutes in 17 appearances, all of them starts, during 18-game regular season 
• Scored first goal in Burgundy, a stoppage-time equalizer, against Houston Dynamo on 9/9 
• Played 90 minutes in first-round playoff loss at Minnesota United FC 
• Named to MLS Team of the Week in Week 11 after playing 90 minutes in 5-0 win at Real Salt Lake on 9/12 
• Finished second in MLS with 24 Blocks, six behind Columbus’ Jonathan Mensah despite playing six fewer games. 
• Was named the club’s Defensive Player of the Year at A Burgundy Affair, the club’s annual end-of-year awards gala, for the second consecutive year 
• Signed two-year contract with club option for a third year on 12/15 

2019

• Made one appearance, from the start, for Columbus Crew SC in 2019. He made his 2019 regular-season debut in a road contest against the Houston Dynamo (4/27) playing all 90 minutes. 
• Made his Colorado Rapids debut on 5/11 at DSGP against Real Salt Lake. 
• Assisted Diego Rubio's header in the 35th minute against New Mexico United in the US Open Cup on 6/12 at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park. 
• His performance against Minnesota United FC on 6/8 landed him on Major League Soccer's Team of the Week (Week 15). 
• Landed a spot on Major League Soccer's Team of the Week (Week 16) after performance in Vancouver on 6/22. 
• Surpassed 1,000 minutes with the Colorado Rapids against the Montreal Impact on 8/3 at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park. 

2018

• Made 23 regular-season appearances (20 starts as a center back) for Crew SC, registering one goal. 
• Named to the MLS Team of the Week after playing all 90 minutes in the first match of the season on the road against Toronto FC (3/3). A 
• Following his start in a road contest against Seattle Sounders FC (5/5), Abubakar was named to MLSSoccer.com’s Team of the Week. 
• Abubakar scored the game-winning goal off of a corner kick in the 85th minute of a road match against the New England Revolution (5/19). 
• Made one appearance for Crew SC in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs. Abubakar made a substitute appearance in the Eastern Conference Semifinals Leg 1 match against the New York Red Bulls (11/4). 

2017

• Abubakar made seven appearances (six starts) for Crew SC in 2017, all at centerback, and scored one goal. 
• He made his MLS and Crew SC regular-season debut in a road match against Minnesota United FC (July 4), playing the entire 90 minutes. 
• He earned MLSSoccer.com’s Team of the Week honors for his performance in a home match against the Chicago Fire (8/12). 
• Abubakar made three appearances (one start) at centerback in the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs. 
• While on loan with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, he made five appearances, all from the start.