COMMERCE CITY – It was the Guatemalan club with ice running through its veins, figuratively at least, Wednesday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

Comunicaciones FC eliminated Colorado Rapids, 1-1, 4-3 on penalties to advance to the quarterfinals of CONCACAF Champions League in a game played in single-digit temperatures with snow steadily falling throughout the second half.

After six consecutive failed tries from the penalty spot, substitute defender Nicolas Samayoa powered a shot past Rapids goalkeeper William Yarbrough to finish the frigid match.

Colorado Rapids ready for cold road ahead after frustrating first leg of CONCACAF Champions League

Diego Rubio, Bryan Acosta and Nicolas Mezquida converted penalties while captain Jack Price, Jonathan Lewis, Keegan Rosenberry and Andre Shinyashiki took unsuccessful attempts. Lewis, Rosenberry and Shinyashiki’s misses came in succession before Samayoa put the Rapids’ continental run on ice.

“We didn’t take our chances. Will did a phenomenal job,” Rapids coach Robin Fraser said, noting the three Yarbrough saves.

“If you don’t take your chances, you’re not going to win. Obviously, that’s disappointing for us. I’m really proud of the guys and the way they approached the game tonight, but in the end, we’ll all be disappointed that we didn’t make more penalties.”

The Rapids finished with 24 shots, 13 of which were on goal. Comunicaciones finished with six attempts and did not put one on goal until the shootout. The Rapids finished with 66% of the possession and 12 of the game’s 13 corner kicks.

“The game actually looked exactly as we would expect it to look. We were at home, and we were dominant. They sat back … Certainly, throughout the night, we continued to create a number of chances,” Fraser said. “In a lot of ways, the game looked like it should look. The missing piece was us scoring a second goal.”

Colorado Rapids likely lose Braian Galvan for upcoming season

Max Alves scored the goal that leveled the aggregate, 1-1, when he found a bit of space inside the box, settled Rosenberry’s service and beat Comunicaciones keeper Kevin Moscoso, who denied Danny Wilson and Price from close range earlier in the first half, from the middle of the box. It was Alves’ first goal for the club after he made his Rapids debut in the first leg in Guatemala City,

“He’s a really good player. He’s a skillful, technical player, makes really good decisions for someone as young as he is,” Fraser said. “To come into a new team, I think he’s really settled in very quickly. There’s been a lot thrown at him early on, different conditions. I think he’s responded really well. I think this is a player who is going to be a very good player for us.”

The Rapids gained a man advantage roughly 15 minutes into the first half when Stheven Robles was issued a straight red card after the referee consulted the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

Lucas Esteves and Alves combined for one more chance in the final minutes of the first half, before the snow started to steadily fall, but Alves’ shot was pushed out for a corner. Colorado out-shot Comunicaciones 13-1 in the opening half with eight of those attempts on goal.

Auston Trusty transferred to Arsenal, returns to Colorado Rapids on short loan

The Rapids kept the pressure on throughout the second half but failed to produce the go-ahead goal. It looked like Diego Rubio scored the goal that would put the Rapids through, but a VAR check negated the goal due to offside in the build-up. The final whistle sounded moments later, and a winner was decided after seven rounds of penalties.

The Rapids open the Major League Soccer regular season with a fresh slate Saturday at Los Angeles FC.

“We didn’t take our chances,” Michael Barrios said through a translator.

“We have to keep our heads up and think about the next match on Saturday.”