U.S. Open Cup play came to a close for the Colorado Rapids on Tuesday night following a 3-1 loss to FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium.
Fielding a starting eleven that featured six roster changes from Saturday night’s match in Atlanta, it was the Rapids who threatened first as Ricardo Perez played a square pass to Nana Boateng across the eighteen. However, the Ghanaian midfielder – making his first start since returning from a back injury – put his side-footed effort just over the bar.
It was Dallas who looked as though they may take the lead inside of ten minutes as the ball found an unmarked Paxton Pomykal, who sailed his shot harmlessly over the goal. Then minutes later, the score was still level after Ryan Hollingshead hammered a curling effort off the post.
Continuing to apply pressure, the home side would find their breakthrough soon enough though deep into the first half after Boateng conceded a penalty, which was dispatched easily by Dallas’ Mauro Diaz.
The Rapids kept fighting though, and managed to equalize just one minute into the second half when Micheal Azira’s deflected shot from distance wrong-footed Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz and skipped in to the back of the net.
It was all Dallas the rest of the way, however, as Diaz found Hollingshead for a tap-in goal in the 57th-minute. Three outstanding saves from Rapids goalkeeper Zac MacMath kept Pablo Mastroeni’s men in the game, but after Axel Sjöberg, Dillon Powers and Shkëlzen Gash all left the game with injuries, Kortne Ford then was shown his second yellow in the 86th-minute – meaning the Rapids had to finish with just nine players.
Playing with a two-man advantage, Dallas converted a late free kick to seal the 3-1 victory and advance to the quarterfinals where they will play the winner of Wednesday’s match between the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City.
Next up for the Rapids is a Saturday night home clash against the Dynamo at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Kick-off is set for 7:00 p.m. MT (Altitude).
