The Colorado Rapids defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0 in the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals on Wednesday night. The club has now advanced to the tournament’s semifinal match for the first time since 1999.
On a cold night in Colorado, the Rapids were set to face off in the U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal round for the first time since 2007.
The match started off slow, with both MLS sides looking to find their footing and create dangerous opportunities. The Earthquakes threatened early, but goalkeeper Nico Hansen saved every shot he faced in the opening 45 minutes.
Colorado thought they had struck first, but a Rafael Navarro goal was eventually called off after VAR determined there was a player offside. Despite having a goal taken off the board, the Rapids continued to threaten the final third, eventually leading to the match’s first goal.
The play started when Colorado found themselves with a corner kick in the 39th minute. Dante Sealy stood over the ball and played a sharp pass on the ground to Paxten Aaronson. The midfielder then played the ball back to Sealy, who sent in a cross with pace to the middle of the box. Rising up to get a head on the ball was Darren Yapi, who made no mistake and sent the ball into the back of the net to go up 1-0.
The goal marked Yapi’s first in U.S. Open Cup play and his fourth of the season across all competitions. With the assist, Sealy has now recorded one goal and one assist in his three U.S. Open Cup appearances this year.
The first half scoring for the Rapids wouldn't end there, with the club getting another opportunity in stoppage time. After forcing a handball in San Jose’s eighteen, Navarro stepped up to take the penalty kick. The Brazilian then calmly placed a shot into the bottom left corner, giving his side a 2-0 lead going into the halftime break.
The goal marked Navarro’s first in U.S. Open Cup play and his ninth of the season across all competitions.
Thanks to Yapi and Navarro, the Rapids sat comfortable with a halftime lead as they looked to close out the match and advance to the semifinals.
The second half didn't highlight the same attacking action, but what it lacked in goals was made up by staunch defensive play from the Rapids back line and Hansen. The club managed to prevent any real opportunities from the Earthquakes as they cruised to a dominant clean sheet victory at home.
With the win, the Rapids have officially advanced to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals for the third time in club history and for the first time since 1999. Colorado is now slated to host St. Louis CITY SC in the next round at a to-be-determined date in mid-September.
In the nearer future, the Rapids will shift their focus back to MLS play this Saturday. Colorado will host FC Dallas at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park on Saturday, May 23 with a kickoff time set for 7:30 p.m. MT. The match will be the club’s final scheduled contest prior to the FIFA World Cup break. Coverage for the match will be available on Apple TV, Altitude Sports Radio, Tico Sports Spanish Radio, the Colorado Rapids app, and ColoradoRapids.com.
