Colorado Rapids head coach Matt Wells wants success to be the norm at the club as they look to follow up their U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal win against FC Dallas in MLS.

The Rapids booked their place in the semi-final of the U.S. Open Cup with a 2-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, reaching the final four for the first time since 1999.

Colorado have been struggling for form in MLS, though, with just one win in their last seven (D1 L5), while their last win at home came back in mid-April (6-2 v Houston Dynamo).

But Wells is determined to go into the World Cup break with some momentum under their belt and believes they can take a huge amount of confidence from beating San Jose.

"I want to enjoy the moment of getting to the semi-final, and I've encouraged the players to do that," he said.

"But the focus will soon be on a very good Dallas team; how we control everything we can control to try and get the three points, which would put us in a very strong position.

"It would represent a very strong start to a campaign where you factor in a huge transition. If we can get three points at the weekend, it's been a very strong start [under Wells].

"This is the standard I want to become the norm going forward."

Colorado sit 11th in the Western Conference on 16 points, with Dallas up in fifth, six points better off at this stage.

Dallas have won three of their last four matches (L1), including a last-gasp 3-2 win over the Earthquakes thanks to Sam Sarver's stoppage-time winner.

It was Sarver's third goal of the season, and head coach Eric Quill is particularly impressed with his knack for goal scoring.

"The kid is electric," Quill said.

"He knows how to score goals, he knows how to be in the right spot, and his pace is high-level. His efficiency in front of goal is top class."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro

Rafael Navarro has scored five goals in five career regular-season matches against Dallas, his most against any MLS opponent.

Navarro's five goals against Dallas are the most any player has scored against the club since the Brazilian's MLS debut in September 2023.

FC Dallas – Petar Musa

Petar Musa, who has been called up to Croatia's World Cup squad, has scored in three straight away matches for the first time in his MLS career.

The only players to score in four or more consecutive road games for Dallas are Paul Arriola (four straight) in 2022 and Blas Perez (five straight) in 2012-13.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLORADO RAPIDS WIN

Dallas won their last match against Colorado 3-1 at home last September. It has been over a decade since they have won consecutive matches against the Rapids in all competitions, last doing so in 2014 when they won all three meetings.

Colorado have lost back-to-back regular-season home matches after going unbeaten in their previous eight at home in league play dating back to last season (W6 D2).

The Rapids have just one three-match home losing streak in regular-season play over the last seven years (May 2023).

Dallas have secured back-to-back regular-season away wins for the first time in eight years with victories at New York Red Bulls and San Jose Earthquakes. It has been over two decades since Dallas' last three-match road winning run, last doing so in May-June 2005.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Colorado Rapids – 43.1%

Draw – 24.2%

FC Dallas – 32.7%