Life after Messi: Is the US Open Cup the Rapids' Best Chance for a Trophy?

About this episode

The episode discusses the Colorado Rapids' chances in the US Open Cup following a historic match against Inter Miami.

The road to silverware starts tonight. With the MLS season proving to be a gauntlet, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has officially become the most direct path for the Colorado Rapids to bring a trophy back to the Mile High City. In today’s episode, the DNVR Rapids crew previews tonight's Round of 16 "Derby" against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. After a historic night at Empower Field that saw the second-largest crowd in MLS history (75,824 fans!) witness a battle against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, we re-evaluate where this team stands in the Western Conference hierarchy. How do the recent results against Miami, LAFC, and Vancouver shift our expectations for the rest of 2026? We dive into the tactical adjustments needed for the cup, the latest news surrounding the Denver Summit, and why tonight's matchup against the Switchbacks is a "must-win" for momentum. On today’s show: • US Open Cup Fever: Is this the Rapids' best chance at hardware this season? • The Messi Effect: Reflecting on a historic, record-breaking afternoon at Mile High. After 10 games: the Rapids sit in the middle of the pack in the West (4-5-1). The US Open Cup offers a chance to…

Topics covered

• US Open Cup
• Colorado Rapids
• soccer
• MLS season
• tactical adjustments
• local derby
• Western Conference analysis

Keywords

• Colorado Rapids
• US Open Cup
• Lionel Messi
• MLS
• soccer
• Western Conference
• Colorado Springs Switchbacks
• trophy
• playoff hopeful

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Colorado Rapids, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Inter Miami, LAFC, Vancouver, Colorado Springs Switchbacks

Places: Mile High City, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Empower Field, Western Conference

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• Are the Rapids and Matt Wells REAL Contenders? Houston and US Open Cup Recap & Messi Preview · April 15, 2026 · 57 min
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