Despite playing in just three matches during his year-long loan in Colorado, it appears Zac MacMath will be staying with the Rapids.
On Friday, the Philadelphia Union traded the goalkeeper to the Rapids in exchange for their natural second-round draft pick in the 2017 SuperDraft. Per MLS and club policy, terms of the deal were not being disclosed.
"Although he did not get that many minutes last season, Zac impressed us with his ability and his professionalism,” said Paul Bravo, the Rapids VP of Soccer Operations and Technical Director, in a relase. “The deal makes economic sense for us and he'll add good depth to our goalkeeping position.”
MacMath spent the 2015 season on loan in Colorado and was mostly the backup to Clint Irwin. He started three regular-season matches and both of the Rapids' US Open Cup games. The Rapids also announced that they signed the 24-year-old to a new contract.
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The 6-foot, 176-pound MacMath was drafted No. 5 overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft after a three-year college career at the University of Maryland, which included an All-ACC First Team selection. Named the Most Valuable Player of the 2010 ACC Tournament after posting clean sheets against top-seeded North Carolina and Virginia, MacMath finished with a 1.07 goals-against average and three shutouts in eight tournament games.
In 2014, MacMath became the youngest goalkeeper in MLS to reach 100 career games. He started 29 games for the Union, recording five shutouts in 2,610 minutes. During four seasons in Philadelphia, MacMath appeared in 103 matches (102 starts), registering 287 saves and 28 shutouts in 9,225 minutes.
MacMath was expendable in Philly after former No. 1 overall pick Andre Blake emerged towards the end of the 2015 season; the Jamaican international started the final four games for the Union.
