San Jose, Calif. – The Colorado Rapids have finally gotten a result after conceding first in an MLS game. Wednesday night saw the final midweek matchday of the 2026 regular season. The Pids traveled to San Jose Earthquakes for some MLS After Dark. Just a few weeks ago, the sides played to a 1-1 draw. Tonight was way more chaos.
The lineup was as expected from Rapids Head Coach Matt Wells. Loïc Williams returned to the starting lineup. Donavan Phillip started up front with Sayed Abu Farkhi on the bench. Hamzat Ojediran was on the bench.
For San Jose, their squad got healthier since the reverse fixture. Eduard Löwen and Timo Werner started. Niko Tsakiris was available on the bench.
The first half got off to a slow start then had two quick goals. Werner had a great shot in transition that goalkeeper Nico Hansen saved. On the ensuing corner, Reid Roberts hit the back of the net with a header. He split the Colorado center backs with his run. It was 1-0 Quakes in the 15th.
Eleven minutes later, Colorado made it look simple. Josh Atencio found Wayne Frederick. He dribbled inside and found Morgan Whittaker. Whittaker took a touch into space and slotted it home.
It was tight in the midfield with both teams trying to keep the opponent in front of them. When there was a break in transition, it led to opportunities. The Burgundy Boys had a few nervous moments playing out of the back, but they reacted well.
Werner had multiple looks. Phillip had a header at the near post on a corner.
The half ended 1-1. Atencio was given a tight yellow card. He was on yellow card accumulation watch and will miss Saturday vs Chicago Fire.
The second half had a similar tactical narrative but went full MLS After Dark.
San Jose carried the play with their work in transition. On another night, Werner scores two. His best chance came in the 70th minute, with another great save by Hansen.
A minute later, the game got off the rails. Arguing a call. Werner touched referee Ramy Touchan (not violently) and was given a red card.
In the 73rd, substitute Darren Yapi took a great touch to gather a long Georgi Minoungou cross. He cut inside and tucked the ball inside the near post. Colorado were now up a man and a goal.
Then in the 75th, Thompson was given a DOGSO red card. On a long ball, he clipped the back leg of Preston Judd as the last defender. Then in the 83rd, San Jose equalized. Jack Jasinksi beat Miguel Navarro to the back post on a corner to score.
Judd had two great chances to score the winner but couldn’t get the shots on target. The match ended 2-2.
Colorado finally gets a result after conceding first:
Let’s start with the positives. Colorado had yet to get a single point when conceding first in 2026. Every game in which the opponent scored first, they’ve lost. Given how San Jose was playing, this could have gone south fast.
Colorado absorbed pressure well enough. They found a way to score two. They regrouped after the red card to make it 10v10 and held on.
“When it went 10 against 10, we were very bad,” Wells said.
“They’re sick of hearing that accusation from me. So they just decided actually no, let’s come from behind in the game.”
The Quakes were the better team for much of the game, including after the second red. They were at home. Colorado’s been a poor road team. They haven’t been a comeback team. The performance and result were a step in the right direction.
In praise of Whittaker and Yapi:
Two goals in two games for Whittaker. He made this one look rather simple. Matt Wells had made a few changes to get in more central and closer to goal. He’s less involved in the buildup as a result but is getting more chances.
It’s paid off. After four games without a goal, he has two in two. It was a bit disappointing to see him sub off just after an hour. Hopefully that sets him up to go 90 on Saturday.
A few weeks ago, Yapi hadn’t scored since May. He hadn’t scored in MLS play since the Mile High Game April 18. Now he’s got two in his last three appearances. As the broadcast quoted Wells, “Yapi plays best when he’s mad.”
“I’ve been testing him all season in terms of trying to unlock the passion and intensity with which I think he plays best. We definitely saw that tonight,” Wells told Burgundy Wave postgame when asked about Yapi.
Colorado needs secondary scoring contributions. Maybe they have that now in Yapi and Phillip.
Credit to Frederick and Minoungou on the assist tonight, even though the goal scorers did most of the work.
Set piece defending against San Jose:
Two goal conceded on corners. Both from unlikely goal scorers. And in the reverse fixture October 10, it was Dave Romney on a set piece. That’s three in two games. Maybe Bruce Arena is just being crafty.
Tonight it was two plays where nobody picks up the man. Colorado were in zonal marking on the first and Roberts just found space between Williams and Rob Holding. Then Navarro just loses Jasinski and Hansen doesn’t get to the back post first. Sloppy. Too easy.
“Because of the order of the scoring, there’s a temptation of course to be really frustrated and down. There sometimes just is that chaos in these games. I choose this evening to take the positives. I’ve been critical all season about our (in)ability to come from behind. It’s baby steps. It’s in our hands. We’ve got two tough games to go,” said Wells.
Hansen was excellent tonight though. Several big saves. Reacted quickly to put out fires. Per FotMob, the two goals had a combined xG of 0.71. Those weren’t his fault. The rest of the game, no goals on 1.59 xG.
“They were more likely to go on and win the game. I don’t think we would have too many complaints if we’d have lost tonight. That’s backed up with the statistics.”
Playoff implications:
The out-of-town scoreboard was less helpful on the night. RSL and Portland both got big wins. Still, the night ends with Colorado in 7th, ahead of Seattle on the wins tie breaker.
Their final two games are vs Chicago Fire on Halloween night then at Dallas next Saturday, Decision Day. That’s two good teams. That’s two teams still have seeding to fight for.
Decision Day has two six-pointers relevant to Colorado. RSL host LA Galaxy in a match that could be a play-in for the Wild Card. Seattle host LAFC in a game that could decide who avoids the Wild Card.
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