COMMERCE CITY, Colo — The Colorado Rapids are headed back to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals for the first time in 27 years.
Behind first-half goals from Darren Yapi and Rafael Navarro, Colorado beat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0 on Wednesday night to reach the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals for the first time since 1999. More importantly, the win gave the Rapids another meaningful result in a season that is starting to produce bigger moments.
This was not just a quarterfinal win. It was one of the club’s most important Open Cup results in decades.
Playing in the quarterfinal round for the first time since 2007, the Rapids had to settle into the match early as both teams searched for rhythm. San Jose generated some early danger, but Colorado goalkeeper Nico Hansen handled the pressure and kept the match scoreless through the opening stretch.
Colorado appeared to grab the lead earlier in the first half when Rafael Navarro found the net, but the goal was wiped away after VAR ruled a Rapids player offside in the buildup. Instead of letting that moment stall them, the Rapids kept pushing and eventually broke through on a set piece.
The breakthrough came in the 39th minute off a well-worked corner. Dante Sealy played it short to Paxten Aaronson, got the ball back, then delivered a driven cross into the box. Darren Yapi rose up and buried the header to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.
For Yapi, it was his first goal in U.S. Open Cup play and another important attacking contribution in a season where he continues to grow into a bigger role. It was also the kind of goal that matched the night: aggressive, direct, and timely.
Colorado added a second goal just before halftime after forcing a handball inside the box. Navarro stepped up to the penalty spot and calmly slotted home the finish to make it 2-0.
That goal changed the feel of the night.
Instead of entering halftime with a narrow lead and lingering pressure, the Rapids went into the break in control. Yapi’s header gave them momentum. Navarro’s penalty gave them cushion. Together, those two first-half moments put Colorado in position to finish the job.
The second half did not bring the same attacking volume, but it showed another side of the Rapids. Colorado stayed organized defensively, limited San Jose’s best looks, and protected the clean sheet without letting the match get chaotic. Hansen stayed sharp, and the back line gave the Earthquakes very little to build on as the game wore on.
That mattered.
Cup matches are not always about style points. Sometimes they are about handling the moment, taking control when chances come, and closing the door. Colorado did all three.
Now the Rapids are through to the semifinals for just the third time in club history and for the first time since 1999. They are set to host St. Louis CITY SC in the next round at a date to be determined in mid-September.
Before that, though, the focus shifts back to MLS play. Colorado returns to league action Saturday at home against FC Dallas in its final scheduled match before the FIFA World Cup break.
