The Colorado Rapids and Colorado Springs Switchbacks put on one of the most entertaining matches of this year’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, with the Rapids narrowly advancing after a 2-2 draw and a 5-4 win in penalties on April 29 at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park.
Colorado took the lead midway through the first half when Alexis Manyoma finished off a strong run from Rafael Navarro. The Switchbacks answered shortly after, with Brennan Creek scoring from close range following a corner kick to send the teams into halftime tied at 1-1.
The match stayed even through regulation, and despite the Rapids playing with 10 men after Kosi Thompson was shown a red card, they found a late breakthrough in extra time when Georgi Minoungou scored in the 114th minute. Just when it looked like the Rapids had done enough, the Switchbacks earned a penalty in the closing moments, and Khori Bennett calmly converted to make it 2-2.
In the penalty shootout, the Rapids held their nerve and edged out their in-state rivals to book a spot in the quarterfinals. Although Colorado moved on, the Switchbacks earned plenty of respect for pushing their MLS counterparts to the limit in a thrilling edition of the I-25 Derby.
Photos by: Matthew Aubol
