How They Got Here: Rapids Eyeing First Piece of Silverware Since 2010 | OneFootball

Under first-year head coach Matt Wells, the Colorado Rapids are chasing more than just a postseason appearance. The MLS originals are two wins away from their first Open Cup title—an achievement that would represent only their second trophy in club history and first since a victorious MLS Cup Playoffs campaign in 2010. Here’s how the Rapids have advanced beyond the Quarterfinals for the first time this century and what comes next.

How Things Started

The Colorado Rapids entered the 2026 campaign under new management, as first-time head coach Matt Wells took over for Chris Armas. The Rapids—who started the decade with a pair of postseason appearances, notably topping the Western Conference in 2021—have found returning to that form rather difficult in recent years. Since that crushing, last-minute loss in the Western Conference Final against the Portland Timbers in 2021, the Rapids have only advanced to the MLS Cup Playoffs once; the result was a pair of lopsided losses in a Best-of-3 series against the eventual MLS Cup-winning LA Galaxy in the first round of the 2024 postseason.

Things have started to move in the right direction, though. In 2023, the club advanced to the Round of 16 of the Open Cup for the first time since 2017, and in 2024, the Rapids posted their best-ever finish in Leagues Cup—closing the tournament out in third place. As of Matchday 23 in MLS, Wells’ side has accrued a 10W-11L-2D record, sits above the playoff line and is one win shy of matching its win total from a season ago—still with 12 matches remaining in the regular season.

Rapids Outlast Perennial Lower-Division Power Omaha

Round of 32: Colorado Rapids 1 – 0 Union Omaha

The Colorado Rapids picked up a key victory against a challenging Union Omaha side at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park to kick off its first Open Cup participation since 2023. The Rapids relied on a 21st-minute winner from Dante Sealy—his first with the club—as the former USL League One champion led his side to victory over two-time League One champion Omaha. Colorado controlled large portions of the match, maintaining 66% possession and limiting Omaha to just two shots on target. The win confirmed Colorado’s spot in the Round of 16 for the first time since 2023.

Colorado Extends Unbeaten Streak Against I-25 Derby Foe Colorado Springs

Round of 16: Colorado Rapids 2 (5) – 2 (4) Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (AET & PKs)

The Colorado Rapids are still unbeaten against their I-25 Derby rival Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC following the duo’s third meeting, advancing on penalties and securing a trip to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2006. The Centennial State foes traded goals in the first half, as Colorado’s Alexis Manyoma recorded his first Open Cup goal in the 25th minute and Colorado Springs’ Brennan Creek bagged his first Switchbacks goal in the 34th minute. A chippy affair saw seven yellow cards and one red card shown to the hosts and two yellow cards brandished to the visitors as the match stretched into extra time.

The next goal—which the hosts believed was the winner—came in the 114th minute, as Georgi Minoungou scored his first Rapids goal on a breakaway. Minutes later, however, the Switchbacks’ Khori Bennett buried a penalty kick in the 120th minute following a Rapids handball in the box, sending the match to a penalty kick shootout. A dramatic shootout saw early conversions before the goalkeepers took over, ending with a key save from Nicolas Hansen and a winning strike from Keegan Rosenberry in the seventh round.

Rapids Hand Quakes First Multi-Goal Loss of Season

Quarterfinals: Colorado Rapids 2 – 0 San Jose Earthquakes

In the 82nd meeting between two MLS originals, the Colorado Rapids took full advantage of a battered San Jose Earthquakes side, defeating the visiting Quakes to advance to the Semifinals for the first time since 1999. In a first half that featured several VAR checks and yellow cards, the Rapids made their mark in the final few minutes of the opening frame. U.S. Under-21 Men’s National Team forward Darren Yapi scored his first Open Cup goal in match-winning fashion in the 39th minute—the 21-year-old’s 25th goal contribution in 120 matches across all competitions for the Rapids—before captain Rafael Navarro scored from the spot following a San Jose handball in the box.

The second half proceeded with little action, as both sides mustered just two shots on target apiece through the final 45 minutes. For San Jose, the Earthquakes are winless in five consecutive matches and have lost three straight after starting the season with an 11W-1L-0D record across all competitions.

Getting Hot at the Right Time

Despite a narrow loss against FC Dallas to wrap up league play just before the FIFA World Cup break, the Rapids have continued to heat up since returning to action in late July. Colorado has posted a 5W-2L-0D record, jumping above the playoff line in the process. Despite an injury to captain and former USMNT goalkeeper Zach Steffen early in the season, the Rapids have been steered to success during the latter half of the 2026 campaign thanks to impressive goalkeeping from 25-year-old Nico Hansen—who’s posted four clean sheets since the break—and U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team shot-stopper Adam Beaudry—who tallied his first MLS clean sheet in a Rocky Mountain Cup victory against real Salt Lake over the weekend. The latter will likely need to step up once again in Colorado’s upcoming Semifinal contest, as Steffen remains out with an injury and Hansen will be serving a one-match suspension for yellow-card accumulation.

Since their last Open Cup fixture, the Rapids have made plenty of moves on the transfer market. Notably, the club set a new record for an outbound transfer fee, sending 18-year-old defender Lucas Herrington to the English Premier League’s Hull City following his two appearances for Australia in the World Cup. Additionally, the Rapids traded Trinidad and Tobago international Dante Sealy back to CF Montréal last Friday. Sealy was ultra-productive for the Rapids in the Open Cup this season, scoring the match-winner against Omaha in the Round of 32, converting in the penalty shootout against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in the Round of 16 and assisting the match-winner against the San Jose Earthquakes in the Quarterfinals.

The Rapids have also added a trio of experienced players to the fold in recent months, offsetting some of their departures and aiming to maintain their momentum. Colorado purchased 24-year-old Spanish defender Loïc Williams from Granada CF, signed Israel international forward Sayed Abu Farkhi from Maccabi Tel Aviv, and added veteran European midfielder Youssef Maziz, who’s already contributed with a pair of assists across his first four matches in Colorado.

What’s at Stake

The Rapids are one of just three remaining MLS originals (Red Bull New York, San Jose Earthquakes) that have been unable to conquer the Open Cup. The closest the Rapids got to the title was in 1999, when they finished as runners-up to the A-League’s Rochester Raging Rhinos in a contest that marked the last time a lower-division side won the tournament. Additionally, an Open Cup title for the Rapids would represent the first time a team from Colorado has won the Open Cup across its 111 editions, bumping up the total number of U.S. states with title-winning clubs to 19.

The Rapids will first host St. Louis CITY SC in the Semifinals (Sept. 16, 9:30 p.m. ET / Paramount+, CBS Sports Network) before they can look ahead to a potential Final on the road. Though St. Louis has picked up a pair of 1-0 victories over Colorado in league play this season, the Rapids will look to extend their prolific form at home. Since the 2020 season, Colorado has amassed a 56W-26L-31D record at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park across all competitions, losing only three times at home this season.

Should the Rapids handle business against St. Louis at home, they’ll be on the road to take on the winner of the first Semifinal (Sept. 16, 7 p.m. ET / Paramount+, CBS Sports Network), either the Columbus Crew or Orlando City SC.