MATCH PREVIEW: Quakes face Colorado Rapids on road in U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal

The San Jose Earthquakes are on the road tonight to face the Colorado Rapids in the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals. Kickoff from DICK’s Sporting Goods Park is set for 7 p.m. PT, with the match streaming on Paramount+ and airing on CBS Sports Network (CBSSN). 

San Jose and Head Coach Bruce Arena arrive in the Denver suburb of Commerce City looking to right the ship after two consecutive narrow league defeats against Seattle Sounders FC and FC Dallas, both decided in the waning minutes. Playing their fourth match of five over a 15-day spread before the league takes a summer break for the FIFA World Cup has begun to take its toll, as injuries to key players like Timo Werner and Niko Tsakiris have forced the next man up mentality to be more prevalent than usual. Individual bright spots remain, however, with midfielder Nick Fernandez and Reid Roberts scoring their first MLS goals in the former and latter games, respectively.  

However, tonight brings a different competition in the U.S. Open Cup, where it’s win or go home—and San Jose will be traveling away from the friendly confines of PayPal Park for the first time in the competition after home victories in their first two matches. 

Most recently, in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 on April 28, San Jose overcame a second-half deficit to win 4-2 over Minnesota United FC with the help of a Beau Leroux brace—the first of his career—and two goal contributions from Jack Skahan. The duo was named to the Team of the Round for their exploits. 

The Rapids represent a different challenge. Tonight’s hosts are coming off edging neighbors Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in the Round of 16 via penalty kick shootout after a surprisingly even 120 minutes with their USL Championship in-state neighbors (2-2, 5-4).  

The danger on Colorado's side comes primarily through Brazilian Designated Player Rafael Navarro, who leads the Rapids with 12 goal contributions in MLS play (8g/4a). Meanwhile, U.S. international midfielder and fellow DP Paxten Aaronson (3g/4a), and Homegrown forward and U.S. youth international Darren Yapi (3g/2a) provide plenty of firepower for second-year Head Coach Matt Wells, a former Tottenham Hotspur assistant who has aimed to bring an aggressive brand of soccer to DICK’s Sporting Goods Park. 

But San Jose has thrived on the road this season, and before the loss to Seattle last Wednesday, had gone 5-0-1 away from home in league play to tie the all-time MLS record. Although the teams have never met in the Open Cup, the Quakes have gone unbeaten in their last three trips to Colorado since 2023 in MLS play, with the last two being wins. 

The Black and Blue will be looking to add another away triumph as they aim to reach the final four for the first time under Head Coach Bruce Arena, a U.S. Open Cup champion in 1996 with D.C. United. Last year, the Quakes fell in the quarterfinals to Austin FC in a heartbreaking penalty shootout after twice fighting back from a goal down. The Black and Blue now look to go one step further and secure the club's first trip to the Semifinals since 2017.