Crew end 16-year wait for a final
Columbus Crew are one victory away from claiming the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time in almost 25 years. On Wednesday night at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, they beat Orlando City SC 2-1, surviving an equalizer before halftime and holding firm through the second half to secure a place in their first US Open Cup final since 2010. The win also means the Crew will host the championship match for the first time since 2002, when they won the trophy named after the club's original owner, Lamar Hunt. First-time finalists St. Louis CITY SC will visit on Oct. 21.[S1]
For Columbus, the performance delivered something that has been difficult to find during the 2026 MLS season: a complete result when the stakes were highest. The Crew took control early. In the ninth minute, Santiago Rodriguez sent a dangerous ball toward the back post from a corner, and Josef Martinez was in the right place to finish and give Columbus a 1-0 lead. It was Martinez's first goal since joining the Crew in the summer transfer window and his fifth career US Open Cup goal. The Venezuelan forward is chasing his second US Open Cup title, having won in 2019 with Atlanta United, and his last goal in the competition came in the 2023 final with Inter Miami CF.[S1]
Orlando respond but Mendez restores lead
Orlando gradually played their way back into the match. The Lions found their equalizer in the 40th minute when Martin Ojeda collected a pass from Justin Ellis near the top of the penalty area and fired a low shot past Columbus goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen. The goal sent the teams into halftime level at 1-1, leaving the Crew another 45 minutes to find a way through. They did not have to wait long. Seven minutes into the second half, Rodriguez again delivered from a dead ball, floating a cross into the penalty area for Brais Mendez, who ran into space and met the service first-time from inside the box, beating Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau to restore Columbus's lead. It was Mendez's fifth goal in all competitions since joining the Black & Gold, while Rodriguez finished the night with two assists.[S1]
Orlando's attack suffered a setback just a couple of minutes after Columbus went ahead, when the Lions' biggest summer signing, Antoine Griezmann, was substituted off due to injury. He was replaced by the club's other major summer addition, US international Daryl Dike. The final 35 minutes were highly physical, but the Crew's defense kept Orlando off the scoreboard to secure a fourth consecutive tournament win, 2-1. Columbus head coach Laurent Courtois described the moment as personally special and expressed hope that it would become special for the club as well, while noting that many games remain before the final.[S1]
