SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento Republic FC rallied to level the game after conceding twice early on but saw its 2023 U.S. Open Cup campaign end in a 4-2 loss to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer on Tuesday night at Heart Health Park in the Round of 32.   

Sebastian Herrera scored both goals for the hosts, pulling Sacramento level in the 52nd minute with his second header of the night, but within three minutes the Rapids had regained the lead through Sam Nicholson and went on to close out the contest, becoming the first team to defeat Republic FC on home turf in the Open Cup since 2017.

Colorado had found the net early as in just the fourth minute Jonathan Lewis got good position on a through-ball to the top of the penalty area and finished calmly. Center back Michael Edwards – who helped Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC reach the Western Conference Final of the 2022 USL Championship Playoffs while on loan from the Rapids – doubled the lead with a diving header on a corner, negating Sacramento’s early pressure.

The hosts answered with more sustained spells in the Rapids’ half, and on the half-hour mark that paid off with Herrera’s first of the night. A perfectly placed cross from Keko found the head of Herrera as he crashed the goal at the top of the six-yard area, giving the Columbian’s his second goal in as many games after opening his 2023 account in the club’s last contest at FC Tulsa in league play.   

Herrera’s second score of the night pulled the club level seven minutes after the break. Another fine service, this time from Jack Gurr was brilliantly headed home into the right side of the net to level the score. Just three minutes later the Rapids regained the lead, however, as Michael Barrios’ initial shot rattled the left post before Nicholson tucked home the rebound.

Sacramento’s hopes of advancing absorbed another blow in the 62nd minute when Shane Wiedt was shown his second yellow card in swift succession to reduce the hosts to 10 men. While Republic FC pushed to find another equalizer, Rapids goalkeeper Marko Ilic posted three saves and the Rapids grabbed an insurance goal late on as Barrios found the net after hitting the woodwork previously.