The San Jose Earthquakes are back on the road on Saturday to face the Colorado Rapids at DICK’s Sporting Goods Park, a place where the Black and Blue have been successful in recent seasons.
Kickoff from Commerce City, Colorado, is set for 6:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast globally via Apple TV (English/Spanish), as well as local radio on KSFO 810 AM (English) and La Kaliente 1370 AM (Spanish).
The Quakes are riding a six-match unbeaten streak, with San Jose coming off a 3-1 home win over the Portland Timbers. San Jose led 3-0 at the half-hour mark and never looked back. Preston Judd opened the scoring four minutes in and Eduard Löwen doubled the lead 20 minutes later, netting a well-deserved first goal since debuting for the club Aug. 29.
Judd would net his second goal on the volley in minute 29 off a stunning trivela assist from Paul Marie. This was followed by a memorable celebration from the Quakes’ star striker, as he ran over to the siren at the PayPal Park north end and fired the iconic siren in front of a jubilant Seismic Union.
Judd has enjoyed sustained success in front of goal in 2026. The fan favorite from Las Vegas has 15 goals in league play as he inches closer to the top five in the MLS Golden Boot race. His last goal also propelled him into the exclusive club of Quakes who have scored that many in a season: Ronald Cerritos, Jeremy Ebobisse and Chris Wondolowski (who did it or surpassed that mark five times).
San Jose’s most recent league meeting with the Rapids was in Commerce City on May 10, 2025, with the Quakes coming out on top 2-0. This marked the second consecutive year that the Black and Blue won at DSG Park, with San Jose storming back from two goals down to win 3-2 in 2024. In fact, when it comes to league play, the Earthquakes have not lost in Colorado since 2022.
While the altitude is always a factor in the Rockies, Löwen is learning on his veteran experience to carry him through the trip.
“Of course, we take that into account. Just like when we go to Texas, we take the heat into account, and that’s what we’ll do here,” he said. “We know the altitude is a factor, but honestly, I don’t want to give it too much thought or get too caught up in the fact that we’re playing at altitude. We’re going to Colorado, and most of us have played there before, so we know what it’s like. We also know they’re a tough opponent and very good at home. We just want to go there, put the work in and come away with the points.”
However, the two teams did meet at the very same venue on May 20 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals, with Colorado getting the better of the Quakes, 2-0. But the Rapids’ danger man at the time who netted the insurance goal, Rafael Navarro, will not be there on Saturday, having since been traded to St. Louis.
Colorado will be led by English manager Matt Wells, who was an assistant coach at English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur when Quakes Designated Player Timo Werner played there; the two were part of the Spurs team that lifted the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League. The Rapids enter the match eighth place in the Western Conference and four points above the playoff line, with a record of 11-13-3.
Their most recent match was a 3-2 road loss in Carson against the LA Galaxy. The Rapids led 2-0 at halftime but collapsed in the second half, something that also happened in their previous match, a 3-3 draw at home against the Seattle Sounders. This recent run of form leaves the Burgundy Boys in real danger of losing a playoff spot, so they will be hungry to redeem themselves against the Quakes on Saturday.
Paxten Aaronson will be an opponent to watch; the attacking midfielder has found form in Colorado this season with seven goals and eight assists. Striker Darren Yapi (3g/2a), who scored the first goal against San Jose in that aforementioned Open Cup match this season, has been a threat as well. Colorado’s newest addition is English winger Morgan Whittaker, who they signed in early September from Middlesbrough for a club record fee and has two goals for the Rapids already.
As the Quakes return to road play, they are riding a load of momentum. Can they capitalize against a Rapids side that needs to start winning to hold onto a playoff spot? The answer will soon be upon us Saturday night.