2026 US Open Cup Round 3: Hugo Picard brace gives Columbus Crew win in USOC return

The 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Round of 32 kicked off for the Columbus Crew Wednesday night as the Black & Gold traveled to take on USL League One side Richmond Kickers. 

In their first US Open Cup game since 2023, Columbus handled business midweek, defeating the Kickers by a 3-0 scoreline to advance to the next round of the tournament. Behind a brace from Hugo Picard and a lone goal from Jamal Thiare, the Crew’s quality ultimately overwhelmed the home side in a match that evolved from early uncertainty into controlled dominance. 

“I’ve been involved in these kind of games a lot of times. We talked about it in the coaching staff. (Assistant Coach) Josh (Williams), (Goalkeeper Coach) Phil (Boerger), they have been playing these kind of games and been having so much more trouble,” said Crew head coach Henrik Rydstrom. “I’m quite happy with the performance overall. Maybe not the first 10-15 minutes of the game where we actually could have conceded.”

The opening minutes suggested a potential cupset, with Richmond attacking the heavily rotated Columbus side. The Kickers nearly stunned the Crew with an early chance in the seventh minute, but the opportunity was cleared off the line by defender Yevhen Cheberko. It was the lone moment in the first half where the Kickers looked capable of seizing momentum .

From there, however, the match tilted heavily in Columbus’ favor. 

After a shaky start, the Crew settled into possession, circulating the ball with increasing sharpness through the midfield and to the wingbacks. The tempo quickened, the spacing improved, and Richmond began to chase shadows. 

The breakthrough arrived in the last minutes of the first half, when Andres Herrera played a low-driven pass across the face of the goal to the opposite post, to find Picard waiting for the easy tap-in, giving the visitors a 0-1 lead heading into the half. 

In the second half, the flow followed a similar script. 

Columbus remained disciplined defensively while continuing to probe for more goals. Richmond struggled to generate meaningful counterattacks, with the Crew’s backline stepping into passing lanes and quickly recycling possession. 

Picard would secure his second in a Crew uniform in the 63rd minute, when he found himself alone one on one against Yann Fillion, the Kickers’ onrushing goalkeeper, and chipped the ball high and over into the net to double the Crew’s lead, thanks to the assist from Amar Sejdic.

Thiaré provided the finishing touch. 

“In the second half, (Picard) could take advantage of his skills,” said Rydstrom. “The first goal is something we have worked on and talked about that we break through one side and then opposite winger is attacking and score the easy goal. He did that so that was good. He was not so involved in the first half, but I think he grew into the game … For Hugo  is to keep on being cynical, to be pragmatic and to score the third goal, the fourth goal. He could have done that today, but maybe I should just be happy that he scored two.” 

In the latter stages, Thiaré capitalized on a well-placed through ball from Cesar Ruvalcaba, dribbling around Fillion and slamming the door shut with his shot to extend the lead to 3-0. The goal rewarded Columbus’ sustained pressure and underscored the depth available within the squad. 

With the win, Columbus advances to the Round of 16 and will face USL League One side One Knoxville. For the Crew, the performance served its purpose: navigate the early scare, assert superiority, and progress without drama. 

“I’m proud of the guys,” said head coach Darren Sawatzky.

“I’ll tell you what, first 25 minutes if we score the goal, we’re pounding the goal, if it goes in, I think the game changes.”

Cup competitions often present unpredictable challenges, but after finding their footing, Columbus ensured this one followed a far more predictable path.