American defender Sam Vines returns to Colorado Rapids after 2 1/2 seasons with Belgium's Antwerp

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) — Defender Sam Vines returned to the Colorado Rapids on Monday after 2 1/2 seasons with Belgium's Antwerp.

The 24-year-old left back agreed to a four-year contract.

Vines joined the Rapids’ academy when he was 13, was signed as a hometown player at 18 and made his first-team debut later that year. He had two goals and four assists in 53 Major League Soccer matches and was part of the U.S. team that won the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Vines transferred to Antwerp in August 2021 and scored two goals in 58 appearances that included league games, Champions League and Europa League qualifiers and cup matches. He appeared in just five league games this season, three of them starts.

Vines has one goal in nine appearances for the U.S., scoring against Haiti in the Gold Cup.

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