Rapids beat Union Omaha in club's first U.S. Open Cup match since 2023

Colorado Rapids defeat USL Championship team Union Omaha 1-0 in the U.S. Open Cup round of 32.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 6:26am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Colorado Rapids soccer match, with sharp, overlapping planes of burgundy, navy, and gold colors representing the dynamic action on the field.The Colorado Rapids' return to the U.S. Open Cup is marked by a hard-fought victory over Union Omaha, setting up an all-Colorado clash in the next round.Colorado Springs Today

The Colorado Rapids returned to the U.S. Open Cup for the first time since 2023, defeating USL Championship team Union Omaha 1-0 in the round of 32. Dante Sealy scored the lone goal for the Rapids, who were dominant in possession throughout the match. The Rapids will face fellow Colorado club Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the round of 16.

Why it matters

The U.S. Open Cup is a prestigious national tournament that provides lower-division clubs a chance to compete against MLS teams. The Rapids' victory over Union Omaha marks their return to the competition after a three-year absence, and sets up an intriguing all-Colorado matchup in the next round against the Switchbacks, who recently defeated MLS side Sporting Kansas City.

The details

The Rapids controlled the majority of possession in the first half, but Omaha had a couple of dangerous chances early on that were narrowly missed. Colorado goalkeeper Nico Hansen also made a crucial save just before halftime to keep the game scoreless. In the second half, the Rapids' Keegan Rosenberry won the ball high up the pitch and set up Dante Sealy for the game's only goal. The second half was a more physical affair, with neither team creating many clear-cut chances.

  • The match was played on April 15, 2026.
  • The Rapids last participated in the U.S. Open Cup in 2023.

The players

Dante Sealy

A 23-year-old winger for the Colorado Rapids who scored the game-winning goal. Sealy had been scoreless in the Rapids' first seven matches of the season before netting the decisive strike.

Keegan Rosenberry

A Rapids defender who played a key role in the game-winning goal, winning the ball high up the pitch and setting up Sealy's strike.

Nico Hansen

The Rapids' goalkeeper who made a crucial save just before halftime to keep the game scoreless.

Matt Wells

The Colorado Rapids' head coach, who used the match to experiment with a rotated squad and formation changes.

Union Omaha

The USL Championship team that the Rapids defeated 1-0 in the U.S. Open Cup round of 32.

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What they’re saying

“It felt great. My process never changes. Every week I try to keep the same mentality, same work rate. I knew eventually they were going to start going in.”

— Dante Sealy, Colorado Rapids forward

“I think probably if you asked him, he'd say sometimes I'm quite hard on him, but that's only because I see massive potential in him as a player, and he's a great person. I know he can shoulder that responsibility. For sure, the lack of a goal to this point had started to weigh on him. I could see that in the way he was training and in his decision-making.”

— Matt Wells, Colorado Rapids head coach

What’s next

The Colorado Rapids will face fellow Colorado club Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup. The date, time, and location of that match will be announced at a later date.

The takeaway

The Rapids' victory over Union Omaha in the U.S. Open Cup round of 32 marks their return to the prestigious national tournament after a three-year absence. The win sets up an intriguing all-Colorado matchup in the next round against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, who recently defeated MLS side Sporting Kansas City.