New Mexico United knocked off the Colorado Rapids side at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in penalties after drawing 2-2 over 120 minutes, advancing to the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16.
The Rapids were clinging to a 2-1 lead just ahead of the final whistle when Kevaughn Frater laced a bullet into the bottom corner from outside the box in the fifth minute of stoppage time to force the game to extra time.
New Mexico opened the scoring in the third minute through Devon Sandoval and proved a handful for the Rapids, but Colorado eventually came back to take a 2-1 lead and nearly saw the game out after down to 10 men for the final 18 minutes of regulation after Axel Sjoberg was shown a second yellow card.
Diego Rubio — the Rapids' captain on the night — leveled the game in the 35th minute, flicking a header to the near post. Then, after halftime, Nicolas Mezquida laced a shot to the top corner from just inside the 18-yard box to give the Rapids the lead.
Goals
- 3' – NM – Devon Sandoval | WATCH
- 35' – COL – Diego Rubio | WATCH
- 46' – COL – Nicolas Mezquida | WATCH
- 90+5' – NM – Kevaughn Frater | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: The Rapids just keep getting results, despite a shootout loss, under interim head coach Conor Casey and play an attractive, up-tempo brand of soccer while doing it. There's a long season left for Colorado to resurrect a campaign that looked six feet under after two months of MLS play.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Frater's 95th minute equalizer was an incredible moment.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Diego Rubio. Playing as the lone striker, Rubio did great work in the build up and pressing, while getting himself on the scoresheet before being withdrawn headed into extra time.
Next Up
- COL: Sat., June 22 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC (10 pm ET | TSN in Canada, MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US)
- NM: June 18-23, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16
