Colorado Rapids x Switchbacks FC

Rapids Survive Seven-Round Shootout Thriller, End 18-Year Quarterfinal Drought Against Valiant Switchbacks

The first Battle of I-25 in a decade delivered everything you could possibly want from a cup tie. Drama. Controversy. A red card. A 115th-minute go-ahead goal. A 119th-minute penalty equalizer. Seven rounds of spot kicks. Two missed penalties clanging off posts. A goalkeeper playing mind games. And when the dust finally settled Wednesday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the Colorado Rapids were headed to the US Open Cup Quarterfinals for the first time since 2008, surviving a 2-2 draw through extra time and outlasting Colorado Springs Switchbacks 5-4 in a penalty shootout that felt like it would never end.

Eighteen years. That's how long it's been since the Rapids made it this far in the Open Cup. Eighteen years of early exits and disappointments and wondering if they'd ever break through. Wednesday night, playing with 10 men for the final 42 minutes after Kosi Thompson's straight red card, they finally did it. And it took everything they had.

"That was a crazy game," said Rapids manager Matt Wells, which might be the understatement of the season. Crazy doesn't begin to cover it. This was chaos disguised as football. This was a USL Championship side that knocked off Sporting Kansas City in the previous round coming to Commerce City with nothing to lose and everything to prove, going toe-to-toe with their MLS neighbors and nearly pulling off another massive upset.

For the third time in these clubs' history, Colorado and Colorado Springs met in competitive action. The last time was 2016. A decade ago. These teams are separated by 65 miles of I-25 and a massive gulf in league status, but Wednesday night that gap felt nonexistent. The Switchbacks matched the Rapids stride for stride, created chances, defended with their lives, and came within one penalty kick of advancing to the quarterfinals themselves.

Rafael Navarro opened the scoring for the Rapids early, assisted by the outstanding play of Alexis Manyoma who'd been slipped in beautifully. First blood Colorado. The home side looked in control, playing with confidence, creating chances against a Switchbacks team that was sitting deep and trying to absorb pressure while looking for counters.

Then Brennan Creek happened. Thirty-third minute. Sadam Masereka forced a corner. Adrien Perez whipped it in. Creek redirected it home for the equalizer. His first goal for Colorado Springs. The visiting supporters erupted. Game on. The underdogs had answered.

The second half turned into a defensive masterclass from both sides, particularly Switchbacks keeper Christian Herrera who made save after save after save to keep his team in it. Reggie Cannon's strike off a corner in the 36th minute? Herrera stopped it. Wayne Frederick's one-on-one chance in the 73rd? Herrera shut it down. A shot from inside the six-yard box in second-half stoppage time? Somehow, impossibly, Herrera kept that out too.

And then there was the Matt Mahoney goal-line clearance in the 56th minute. Darren Yapi thought he'd scored, put the ball past Herrera, game over. Except Mahoney, the Switchbacks captain, tracked back like his life depended on it and kicked the ball out of play before it crossed the line. That's championship-level defending from a USL player against an MLS attack. That's heart. That's refusal to quit.

But the match turned on the red card. Seventy-eighth minute. Kosi Thompson, who'd come on at halftime for Reggie Cannon, made a challenge on former Rapids forward Yosuke Hanya and got shown a straight red. Suddenly Colorado was down to 10 men with 12 minutes of regulation left, facing the prospect of extra time against a Switchbacks side that smelled blood and knew they had the advantage.

Extra time was torture for Rapids fans. Back and forth. Chances created. Herrera making more saves. The clock ticking down. And then in the 115th minute, five minutes from penalty kicks, Georgi Minoungou scored off a goal kick. 2-1 Rapids. The game winner. The quarterfinal clincher. Dick's Sporting Goods Park erupted. Colorado was two minutes away from advancing.

Except Colorado Springs refused to die. One hundred and seventeen minutes in, handball in the box. Penalty to the Switchbacks. Khori Bennett, the USL Championship's leading scorer, stepped up. Pressure mounting. Keeper Nico Hansen staring him down. Bennett buried it. 2-2. The 119th minute equalizer that sent the match to penalties.

"All the pressure is on the penalty taker," Hansen said afterward. "As much as possible, I just try to get in their head because at the end of the day, the pressure is on them. And with the fans behind the goal as well, you just want to put as much pressure on them as you can."

The shootout was madness. Jon-Talen Maples converted for Colorado. Dante Sealy made it 2-0. Tyreek Magee pulled one back for the Switchbacks. Then Minoungou stepped up and slammed his shot off the post. 2-1 Rapids. Advantage Colorado. Except Patrick Burner hit the other post for the Switchbacks, keeping it 2-1. Then Josh Atencio's poorly hit penalty down the middle got kicked away by Herrera. Still 2-1 after three rounds each.

It went to sudden death. Fourth round. Fifth. Sixth. Seventh. Herrera made two saves to keep the Switchbacks alive. Jonas Fjelderg missed for Colorado Springs. Burner had already hit the post. The Switchbacks couldn't capitalize on their keeper's heroics. And finally, in the seventh round, Keegan Rosenberry stepped up and converted to give the Rapids the 5-4 victory and their first quarterfinal appearance since 2008.

Eighteen years of waiting. Eighteen years of early exits. All erased in one moment. One penalty kick. One celebration. One advancement to the next round.

The Switchbacks can hold their heads high. They beat Sporting KC 3-0 in the previous round, their first-ever win over an MLS team. They pushed the Rapids to the absolute limit Wednesday night. They equalized twice. They survived playing against 11 men for 78 minutes. They had their chances in the shootout. Christian Herrera was immense in goal. Matt Mahoney made that incredible goal-line clearance. Brennan Creek scored his first goal for the club. Khori Bennett buried a penalty in the 119th minute to send it to kicks.

But it wasn't enough. The Rapids survived. Nico Hansen made the saves when it mattered. Rafael Navarro was man of the match with two assists, holding up play brilliantly, creating chances, being the target man Colorado needed. Alexis Manyoma scored the opener and was dangerous all night before getting subbed in the 72nd for Dante Sealy. Lucas Herrington was solid at the back. Miguel Navarro pushed forward and created chances. Even down to 10 men, the Rapids found a way.

Matt Wells put out a strong lineup showing respect to the Switchbacks, and that respect was justified. This was no walk in the park. This was a battle. A war. A cup tie that had everything except a winner in regulation or extra time.

The Rapids now advance to face whoever survives the other Round of 16 matches. The quarterfinals beckon. A chance to go even deeper in this tournament. A chance to win silverware. A chance to make history.

For Colorado Springs, the dream ends here. But what a run. Beating Spokane Velocity. Beating Azteca FC. Stunning Sporting Kansas City on the road. Taking the Rapids to seven rounds of penalties after equalizing in the 119th minute. This is what the Open Cup is supposed to be. David vs Goliath. Lower division teams punching above their weight. MLS sides having to earn every single inch.

Wednesday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, both teams earned respect. The Switchbacks proved they belong on the same field as MLS opposition. The Rapids proved they have the mental fortitude to win ugly, to survive with 10 men, to convert penalties when everything's on the line.

Eighteen years is a long time to wait. Eighteen years of quarterfinal drought, watching other teams make deep runs, wondering when it would be Colorado's turn. Wednesday night, playing one man down, surviving seven rounds of penalties, relying on Nico Hansen's mind games and Keegan Rosenberry's composure from the spot, the Rapids finally broke through.

The Battle of I-25 lived up to the billing. The first meeting in a decade delivered drama, heartbreak, and ultimately, advancement for the team in burgundy. Colorado Springs fought like warriors. Colorado survived like champions. And when the final penalty found the back of the net, eighteen years of waiting finally came to an end.

On to the quarterfinals. On to more chaos. On to whatever comes next. Because if Wednesday night proved anything, it's that the 2026 US Open Cup is going to be absolutely wild from start to finish.

[Photography by Anthony Martinez]