Columbus Crew

2026 US Open Cup Semifinals: Columbus Crew beat Orlando City, reach 1st USOC Final in 16 years

September 17, 2026 by Tyler Fisher

Steven Moreira of the Columbus Crew reacts during Wednesday's 2026 US Open Cup Semifinal against Orlando City SC. Photo: Mathieu Starke - Starke_Photo — Steven Moreira of the Columbus Crew reacts during Wednesday’s 2026 US Open Cup Semifinal against Orlando City SC. Photo: Mathieu Starke – Starke_Photo

The Columbus Crew are one win away from lifting the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time in nearly a quarter century.

Columbus defeated Orlando City SC 2-1 Wednesday night at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, overcoming an equalizer before halftime, and held on through the second half to book its place in the club’s first US Open Cup Final since 2010.

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With the win, the Crew will host the tournament’s championship game for the first time since 2002, when they lifted the trophy named after the club’s original owner, Lamar Hunt. They will take on first-time finalists St. Louis CITY SC on Oct. 21.

It was a night that gave the Crew something that has been hard to find in the 2026 MLS campaign: a complete result when the stakes were highest.

Columbus wasted little time establishing a presence.

In the ninth minute, Santiago Rodriguez delivered a dangerous ball toward the back post following a Crew corner. Josef Martinez found himself in the right place at the right time, finishing the chance to give Columbus an early 1-0 lead.

For Martinez, it was his first goal since joining the Crew during the summer transfer window. It was the fifth career US Open Cup goal for the Venezuelan star, who is seeking his second US Open Cup title (2019 Atlanta United). The last time he scored a goal in the tournament was in the 2023 US Open Cup Final with Inter Miami CF.

Orlando, however, gradually worked its way back into the match.

Josef Martinez of the Columbus Crew avoids a tackle against Orlando City SC in the 2026 US Open Cup Semifinals. Photo: Carlos Hernandez-Chavez - Black Cat Photography — Josef Martinez of the Columbus Crew avoids a tackle against Orlando City SC in the 2026 US Open Cup Semifinals. Photo: Carlos Hernandez-Chavez – Black Cat Photography

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 beyond Columbus goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen.

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "We Want The Cup" shirt in your team's colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP - Columbus Crew — Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

The goal leveled the teams at halftime, 1-1, leaving the Crew with another 45 minutes to find a way through.

They didn’t have to wait long.

Just seven minutes into the second half, Rodriguez once again provided the dead ball.

The Uruguayan midfielder floated a ball into the penalty area, finding Brais Mendez running into space. Mendez met the service first-time from inside the box, beat Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, and restored Columbus’ lead.

It was Mendez’s fifth goal in all competitions since joining the Black & Gold, while Rodriguez ended the night with two assists.

Orlando City’s offense suffered a blow just a couple minutes after Columbus’ go-ahead goal when the Lions’ biggest summer signing, Antoine Griezmann, was subbed off due to injury. He was replaced by the club’s other big summer signing, US international Daryl Dike.

The last 35 minutes of the game were very physical, but the Crew’s defense keep the Lions off the scoreboard to secure the club’s fourth straight tournament win, 2-1.

“For me personally, it’s really a special moment,” said Crew head coach Laurent Courtois. “I hope we will make it a special moment for the club, but we have a lot of games before .”

The Crew have advanced to their first Open Cup final since 2010 and will host the championship match on Oct. 21 against St. Louis CITY SC.

2026 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Max Arfsten goal, solid defense leads Columbus Crew past NYCFC

May 21, 2026 by Tyler Fisher

Max Arfsten of the Columbus Crew dribbles the ball against New York City FC in the Quarterfinals of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Carlos Hernandez – Black Cat Photography – IG @black_catphoto

For the first time in 16 years, the Columbus Crew have advanced to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Semifinals, securing a 1-0 win over New York City FC at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.

Max Arfsten delivered the decisive moment in the 59th minute of a match that lacked consistent attacking rhythm. Following a patient buildup in the attacking third, Nariman Akhundzada found Arfsten in space and finished past the NYCFC goalkeeper, giving the Crew the breakthrough they needed. His goal energized the home supporters and secured Columbus a place in the tournament’s final four.

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“I don’t know. I feel like I’m just a bit more confident in front of goal as the games go on, and Open Cup is a fun tournament, and I just wanted to do whatever I could to help us get the win, and I just saw the moment to cut inside, and I saw a little bit of space, and it went in,” said Arfsten.

The first half was characterized by strong defensive organization and few scoring opportunities. Columbus controlled possession at times but struggled to create chances in the final third, while New York City was unable to break through Columbus’s defense. Most of the opening 45 minutes were contested in midfield, with neither team establishing sustained attacking momentum.

The match became more open after halftime, particularly following Arfsten’s first career US Open Cup goal. New York City increased its pressure in pursuit of an equalizer, committing more players forward and forcing Columbus into a defensive posture late in the match. Despite this, the Crew’s back line remained composed and consistently disrupted dangerous passes into the box.

“I feel like we were calm,” said Arfsten.

“I think one main difference from tonight was even though we were winning 1-0, we still had the ball, and we’re being a bit daring and bold with the ball.

“We didn’t just give them the ball and sit back and kind of hope for our lives, like sometimes at the end of games. That’s what I think helped us a lot, was like we actually kept the ball, even though we were up 1-0.”

NYCFC created several tense moments late in the match, but Columbus delivered one of its strongest recent defensive performances. The Crew closed down shooting lanes, won key aerial duels, and prevented New York City from finding a clear opportunity to equalize.

In the end, Crew goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen his second clean sheet of the tournament without having to make a save. Hagen, a Guatemalan international, has only allowed one goal in three Open Cup games and has made a total of four saves during that span.

Columbus Crew players celebrate with Max Arfsten after he scored a goal against New York City FC in the Quarterfinals of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Carlos Hernandez – Black Cat Photography – IG @black_catphoto

This victory is a significant milestone for Columbus, marking its first US Open Cup semifinal appearance since 2010. That year, they lost in the championship game to the Seattle Sounders FC. After weeks of inconsistent league form, the result provides a much-needed confidence boost as the club balances MLS play with knockout competition.

Next, the Crew, who won the 2002 US Open Cup, will host Orlando City SC in the Semifinals the week of Sept. 16-17, with a place in the tournament final at stake.

2026 US Open Cup Round of 16: Columbus Crew beats One Knoxville to earn first Quarterfinal berth since 2010

April 30, 2026 by Tyler Fisher

Columbus Crew players celebrate after scoring a goal against One Knoxville SC in the Round of 16 of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Columbus Crew

The Columbus Crew advanced to the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a commanding 4-1 victory over One Knoxville SC on Wednesday night. In a matchup between MLS and USL League One opposition, Columbus capitalized on chances across both halves to secure progression in the tournament.

With the win, the Crew advance to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2010. Sixteen years ago, the Crew made a run to the US Open Cup Final where they were defeated by the Seattle Sounders FC. This year will be the club’s eighth trip to the round of eight.

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The Crew opened the scoring in the first half through Hugo Picard, who finished from close range after finding space in the penalty area with the help of Yevhen Cheberko. Picard has shown much promise in just the two games he’s appeared in so far this tournament, scoring three goals and making him an early contender in the US Open Cup’s Golden Boot race.

One Knoxville SC leveled the match on the ensuing kickoff, with Braudilio Rodrigues getting on the end of a rebounded shot inside the Columbus Crew penalty area, heading his attempt into the back of the net past Crew goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen. That goal proved to be the only positive moment for the visitors, as Columbus remained largely organized at the back for the remainder of the match.

Picard again found the back of the net, mirroring his first goal in front of the Nordecke as his right-footed shot was deflected past Knoxville goalkeeper Jonathan Burke, increasing his tally to four goals in just two games played. The remainder of the first half by the Columbus Crew was pure domination, dictating play and controlling possession to make Knoxville work even harder.

“Yeah, really nice to see. I also see the defensive part with his press,” said Crew head coach Henrik Rydström. “They are good on the ball, so we needed to press them well. Hugo was very good in trapping them on their right side, our left side.”

The second half was much of the same, with Daniel Gazdag etching his name on the scoresheet with his strike that found the back post past Burke, increasing the Black & Gold’s lead to 3-1.

Minutes later, United States Youth National Team striker Chase Adams secured his first goal for the first team after a missed opportunity just prior. Adams found the net with a strong right-footed shot that found the far post past Burke, firmly securing the victory for the Columbus Crew, booking their spot in the quarterfinals of the competition.

“I think I mentioned it after the Richmond game, but this was much, much better against a better team,” Rydström said. “I don’t want to take anything away from Richmond, but Knoxville is a good team. We had big respect for them.”

With the result, the Crew moves on to the Quarterfinal Round of the US Open Cup, while One Knoxville SC’s tournament run comes to an end.

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

April 16, 2026 by Tyler Fisher

Columbus Crew players celebrate after scoring a goal against the Richmond Kickers in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Columbus Crew SC

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.

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: Pittsburgh Riverhounds make history with shutout of Columbus Crew

May 25, 2023 by Rachael Kriger

Photo: Rachael Kriger | @RachaelKriger (Twitter) @RachaelKrigerPhotos (IG)

There was a record breaking crowd and one magical goal. For the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, that’s all they needed.

Bob Lilley and company are heading to the next round, the Quarterfinals, of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The USL Championship club — who currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference — upset the Columbus Crew SC at their home, Highmark Stadium, on Wednesday night. It will be the Hounds’ first trip to the Quarterfinals since 2001.

Albert Dikwa supplied the game-winning goal, assisted by hometown kid Robbie Mertz. Dikwa slotted the ball low to the corner of the net, past Crew goalkeeper Evan Bush, after Mertz found him between two Crew defenders.

Mertz said he was a bit worried about a potential offside call, but the goal was ruled fair.

“I kind of hesitated, because I was looking for … Then I saw the secondary run from Dikwa,” Mertz said. “I was concerned about offsides when I initially left my foot, but he wasn’t offside. In those situations, it happens very quickly. Thankfully, there was enough to it.”

Pittsburgh, PA = Cupset City, USA@RiverhoundsSC | #USOC2023 ???? pic.twitter.com/yin6DcoFTr
— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) May 25, 2023

Pittsburgh didn’t park the bus, or let off the gas at all. Columbus did out-posses the Riverhounds, but that was to be expected, according to Mertz.

“I think we knew coming into the game that they’re a possession-oriented team,” he explained. “They out-posses teams in MLS 60, 65 percent of the time. We weren’t under any illusion that we would be an exception to that. But we did say that we wanted to give pressure when it made sense. I think we did that.

“In the second half, we started to tire a little bit,” Mertz continued. “It was natural for us to come under a little bit of pressure during that point of the game. That’s something we talked about, in this competition and the league, that we want to avoid being under a ton of pressure at the end of games … At the end of the day, you need to do what you’ve got to do. Everyone was sacrificing a lot to win.”

This is the second-straight shutout win against an MLS side in Lamar Hunt US Open Cup action. The Riverhounds are the first lower division club in the Modern Era (1995-present) to accomplish that. In fact, only two lower division clubs have ever shutout multiple MLS teams in a single tournament (1999 Rochester Raging Rhinos, 2022 Sacramento Republic FC), but the Riverhounds are the first to do it in consecutive games.

Pittsburgh got to the Round of 16 after a road win against the New England Revolution. However, before coming out to face Columbus, the Riverhounds didn’t put too much pressure on themselves — or think too much about facing “an MLS team.”

“You can’t think too much about the opponent,” goalkeeper Jahmali Waite said. “At the end of the day, they have 11 guys against our 11 guys. You go out there and stick to the game plan, play as a team and compete, and then good things will happen.”

Waite — who earned his fourth clean sheet of the season — made three saves against Jacen Russell-Rowe, Thomas Roberts and substitute Gibran Rayo. The goalkeeper had to be alert, with Columbus recording a whopping 75 percent of possession.

“It’s difficult, but that’s part of the job as a goalkeeper. You have to be focused, switched on all the time,” Waite, who represents the Jamaican national team, said. “So, being able to follow the ball and not let it out of your sight, see their players and communicate to the guys where they need to be, it’s a lot of focus, but we work on it in practice. We do that all the time in practice.”

Mertz gave credit to his goalkeeper, calling him a steady presence.

“He’s been steady all year. Not just performance wise, but emotionally in the locker room,” Mertz said. “He’s a steady guy. That’s what we needed coming into tonight. He came up when he needed to tonight. There are scary moments, when the ball goes into the box, during set pieces. Tonight, he was always in the right position. That’s a testament to the work he puts in during training … He’s stellar.”

Pittsburgh recorded nine shots, with two on target. In addition to Dikwa’s goal, Danny Griffin — who re-joined the Riverhounds just this month — added another attempt on Bush.

OMG so CLOSE | @RiverhoundsSC pic.twitter.com/waukWVK04N

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) May 25, 2023

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "We Want The Cup" shirt in your team's colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP — Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

Meanwhile, for the Crew, manager Wilfred Nancy said that his side was trying to “catch up” to Pittsburgh after the goal. He did state that it was intention to rest regular starters, due to the busy congestion of the Open Cup and MLS season.

“We’ve done this since the beginning. The idea was to give time to everyone,” Nancy said. “We have a lot of games. For me, it was a no brainer that we had to rotate … The plan was the same thing as the last game when we played in the Cup. We have a lot of games and we had to rotate.”

Home support brings Pittsburgh players needed energy

The Riverhounds had a record-breaking crowd at Highmark Stadium of 6,107 fans. Attendance has been up significantly this season. Even on Saturday against the Las Vegas Lights, Pittsburgh saw their fourth-highest attended game.

Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said that propelled his team to a win.

“It’s important for the club. We’ve been building this and growing certainly these nights, these opportunities to pack the house and have an MLS team here,” Lilley said. “We want to introduce the game to more people. The fans played a big part tonight. We were tired in the second half, and the game got stretched and wide open. We need to get ahold of the ball a little more. The fans pulled us through… It wasn’t pretty at the end. There was energy in the building, and our guys had something to hold on to.

Lilley said that pulling a crowd like Wednesday night’s wasn’t easy in such a crowded sports town.

“Soccer in Pittsburgh has always been a fringe sport. It’s deserving to be more than that. It’s global, and it’s so conscious in the world,” Lilley explained. “In Pittsburgh, we have support for the league, the exposure. There are huge sports teams in this town. It’s hard to work your way into the market. Nights like tonight show the growth of soccer here and what we’re trying to do to give this community the vision for the kids, who aspire to play at a professional level.”

Mertz said that, before the game, his brother was comparing the club’s theme of a “White Out” to that of the Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup attendance in 2009.

“I remember those days. There was a comparison to that,” Mertz said. “The atmosphere was incredible from the get go. I can’t say enough about what it was like to have that type of atmosphere.”

THE BOYS ARE BUZZIN #HOUNDTAHN #USOC2023 #PITvCLB pic.twitter.com/g8s7sorfCd
— Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (@RiverhoundsSC) May 25, 2023

Waite said he felt the energy from the crowd before the first kick.

“Even coming into the stadium before we went out for warmups, the energy was there,” the Jamaican said. “It’s good for us. At home, we feed off that energy. As long as we keep performing, then they feed off that. Then, you see what happens.”

No fear heading to Cincinnati

Next up for Pittsburgh is FC Cincinnati, a side they know well from their former USL days.

However, Cincinnati isn’t the same team. They’ve vastly improved from their horrendous start in MLS and are MLS Cup title contenders. Their home stadium is a fortress, but the Riverhounds players are not backing down.

“It’s two teams playing. Even though we’re on the road, we’re not going to back down and sit back and let them work us all game,” Waite said confidently. “We’re going to go in and, whatever game plan the coach gives us, we’re going to stick to that. We’re going to try to keep playing our style of play the best as we can, creating chances and limiting their chances.”

Mertz said that the Riverhounds have quality to beat a third MLS side in this tournament.

“It can go either way. It was one of these nights where you have to think of the opportunity to be out there,” he said. “To get to partake in a night like that… I’m just really thankful. We thought things were aligning for us.”

“It’s a special moment for the club, for sure.”

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Columbus Crew overwhelm shorthanded Loudoun United

May 11, 2023 by Liam Wolf

Columbus Crew players celebrate after scoring a goal against Loudoun United in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Columbus Crew SC

It was always going to be a tough game for Loudoun United when facing their first MLS team in club history. Now, add a red card in the 10th minute and it’s near impossible, even playing at home. That combination was just too much for the USL Championship side as the Columbus Crew would make easy work of the first year U.S Open Cup team by the score of 5-1.

With the win, the Crew put an end to an unfortunate streak in the tournament. Combined with last round’s 1-0 home win over Indy Eleven (USL Championship), the victory over Loudoun United gives them consecutive wins for the first time in more than a decade. The win ends the Crew’s streak of 10 straight tournaments without advancing in multiple games. It is the third-longest such streak in the Modern Era (1995-present).

Columbus would waste no time in breaking the deadlock as wide playmaker Yaw Yeboah would pounce on a misplaced clearance from the Loudoun backline and would take it first time and slot it home against Loudoun keeper Hugo Fauroux. It looked as if it was going to be a uphill battle for Loudoun after conceding early but just four minutes things went from bad to worse.

After Columbus took a free kick quickly, fullback Mo Farsi would find himself behind the Loudoun backline and through on goal. Then on the edge of the box Loudoun defender Gaoussou Samake would attempt to make a last ditch tackle on Farsi but would instead trip him up, it took the referee no time to make his decision as it would be an immediate red card in the 10th minute.

Columbus would take immediate advantage of the extra man and just eight minutes later it’d be young Sean Zawadzki, who would strike a beauty of a long shot from right outside the box that would curl right into the bottom right of the goal. The goal would be only his second of his career and the second of the night for Columbus.

The next two goals for the Crew would only be four minutes apart, the first coming from Loudoun pushing up the pitch trying to get back into the game. This though would see them short at the back and Columbus striker Christian Ramirez would be played through and find himself on a counter along with teammate Isaiah Parente. Ramirez would take only one touch and lay it off for Parente who would open his scoring account for the night.

The build up ????
The finish ????‍????#Crew96 ✘ @Chris_Ramirez17 pic.twitter.com/Bt0m0gHhZF
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) May 11, 2023

Then just moments later Loudoun would fail to clear their lines again, leaving Parente to just poke the ball into the back of the net to make it 4-0. Columbus would go on their longest goal drought in the first half, that’d be broken just ten minutes later as Parente would pay back Ramirez for his earlier assist with one himself after a beautiful pass would give Ramirez a chance he couldn’t and wouldn’t miss. The 5-0 scoreline would stay true through the end of the half.

The second half would be much slower as Columbus would control the majority of the possession as Loudoun with ten men just could not hold onto the ball. It seemed that Loudoun would leave the night with nothing to show for but in the 85th minute Kalil ElMedkhar would win and score a penalty. The goal would be historic as it marks the clubs first goal against a MLS side.

After struggling to score last round against Indy Eleven and Loudoun’s impressive round of 64 this is a scoreline that will be a bit of a surprise. For Columbus they now shift their focus back to MLS play as they host Orlando City. As for Loudoun this is obviously a disappointed result but there should still be a lot of optimism around the club this season as it is still early in their USL Championship season.

2023 US Open Cup Round 3: Farsi’s late winner sends Columbus Crew past Indy Eleven

April 29, 2023 by Tyler Fisher

Mohamed Farsi of the Columbus Crew SC celebrates after scoring a goal against Indy Eleven in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Columbus Crew SC

The Columbus Crew started their 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup campaign against a tough opponent in Indy Eleven. Columbus learned their draw for the third round, and were able to host the USL Championship side at Lower.com Field. With the Crew resting a majority of their starters, the home side was able to push for a 1-0 win, thanks to a late goal from Mo Farsi in the 83rd minute.

Columbus were on the front foot early, hammering their attack at the expense of the Indy Eleven defense.

Cucho Hernandez almost got the party started with a bicycle kick in the 10th minute from a Max Arfsten cross, but the Colombian’s attempt wasn’t enough to put pressure on the Indy Eleven netminder.

It was Indy Eleven who also could’ve broke the deadlock when Harrison Robledo had a shot from just outside the 18-yard box, but sailed it just high over the crossbar.

Give. Go. Get. Goal. @S_MoreiraOff ???? @Farsi_15 #Crew96 | 1-0 pic.twitter.com/QM4jRT4BFf
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) April 27, 2023

A chance in the 20th minute saw midfielder Isaiah Parente hit a loose ball inside the box on goal, but the shot was saved by goalkeeper Yannik Oettl, who would put on a show for the rest of the night.

Just 10 minutes later Darlington Nagbe had a shot on goal, but forced a diving save from Oettl.

A 0-0 scoreline at the half would see Columbus struggle to find the back of the net, with Oettl being strong in goal keeping the opposition alive.

The Crew had a good chance to grab a penalty in the 52nd minute, but the official saw no foul when Alex Matan was brought down inside the box.

Midfielder Yaw Yeboah had a shot on goal from close range, only to be denied by Oettl yet again. Still searching for the icebreaker goal, the Columbus Crew were not letting up on the pressure, giving Indy Eleven’s defense plenty to work for.

Columbus finally got on the board in the 83rd minute, when Mo Farsi and Steven Moreira played a give-and-go with one another and Farsi put the ball in the back of the net, to give Columbus the win and advance to the Round of 32.

Columbus will travel to Virginia as they face Loudon United May 10, at 7:30pm EDT.

American soccer’s greatest modern underdog story: Rochester Raging Rhinos win 1999 US Open Cup

September 14, 2020 by Josh Hakala

The Rochester Raging Rhinos celebrate their 1999 US Open Cup championship after defeating the Colorado Rapids 2-0 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, OH. Photo: Rochester Rhinos

A version of this story by Josh Hakala originally appeared on FourFourTwo.com

Every sport has its go-to underdog story. Hockey has the “Miracle on Ice”, college basketball has N.C. State in 1983, baseball has the “Miracle Mets” in 1969, and boxing has Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson. World soccer has plenty to choose from with Leicester City (2015/16 Premier League champions) being the most recent example.

For American soccer, it’s the 1999 Rochester Raging Rhinos, who became the first and, to date, the only lower division club to win the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup since Major League Soccer launched in 1996. Fans of domestic cup competitions like the FA Cup (England) know that anything can happen, and in 1999, the Rhinos of the A-League (Div. 2) upset four MLS teams en route to lifting the trophy.

The last team to come close to repeating their accomplishment was the 2008 Charleston Battery who reached the Final in 2008, but lost to D.C. United. More recently, FC Cincinnati, then of the USL, let a 2-0 lead on their home field slip away in the 2017 Semifinals, falling to the New York Red Bulls. If they would have held on for the win, they would have had a chance to join the Rhinos in the American soccer history books.

However, looking back at the 1999 Rochester Raging Rhinos (they dropped the “Raging” part of their name prior to the 2008 season), their magical Open Cup run almost didn’t happen. Multiple times.

Round 2: Rochester Raging Rhinos 2, New York Freedoms 1 (OT)

The Rhinos began the tournament in Round 2 and their opening game was against the New York Freedoms, an amateur team from the Premier Development League (PDL, now known as USL League Two). To put the mismatch in perspective, the US Soccer Federation assigned seedings to the teams for the 1999 US Open Cup and the Rhinos were the No. 9 seed and the Freedoms were 28th out of the 32-team field.

Mauro Biello of the Rochester Raging Rhinos battles for the ball against the New York Freedoms in the Second Round of the 1999 US Open Cup. Photo: Democrat & Chronicle

The New York Pancyprian Freedoms were three-time US Open Cup champions (1980, 1982, 1983) and long-time members of the New York’s famed Cosmopolitan League. They launched a PDL team in 1999 under the name “New York Freedoms” and qualified for the Open Cup in their debut season.

More than 7,000 fans showed up at the Rhinos’ Frontier Field to cheer on the defending A-League (Div. 2 pro) champions. In the first half, it looked like it was going to be a one-sided affair when New York’s Ronan Wiseman, who was on loan from the Long Island Rough Riders, received a straight red card for a hard tackle in the 35th minute.

“I’m very disappointed,” Freedoms manager Tony Noto told the Democrat and Chronicle after the game. “The referee made a difference. He changed the destiny of the Freedoms. You don’t (throw) players out on the first foul.”

Despite being down a man, the Freedoms walked into the locker room at halftime scoreless against the Rhinos.

According to Rhinos head coach Pat Ercoli, his team’s smaller field dimensions at Frontier Field may have helped the visiting team stay in the game as they bunkered down once they were down a man.

In the 57th minute, New York’s Rodney Rambo stunned the announced crowd of 7,131 by giving the 10-man Freedoms the lead. The former University of Portland star stole the ball from Rhinos midfielder Kirk Dietrich near the Rochester penalty area, dribbled in and put the ball past goalkeeper Bill Andracki, who was filling in for injured starter Pat Onstad.

“ was certainly a wake-up call,” said Rhinos head coach Pat Ercoli. “When you’re playing the amateur teams, sometimes you take them for granted, just like the MLS teams have done in certain cases with lower division teams. The lower division teams tend to up their game and the higher division teams tend to play down to .”

That lead would be short-lived as Mauro Biello, the team’s top scorer, received a pass just outside the box from Doug Miller, the A-League’s 1997 MVP. Biello launched a shot from a little more than 20 yards out to tie the game in the 62nd minute.

The match would head into golden goal extra time where Biello played provider, delivering a corner kick to the head of Darren Tilley who nodded home the game-winner in the 110th minute. The Freedoms gave the Rhinos a scare despite Rochester outshooting New York 22-7 and earning 19 corners to the Freedoms’ four. New York’s goalkeeper Roberto Sir kept his team in the game, making seven saves over 110 minutes of action.

After the game, Tilley told Jeff DiVeronica of the Democrat and Chronicle that the team was just happy to advance.

“We didn’t play to our best, as I think everyone would acknowledge, but it’s all about winning in Cup competitions.”

The headline in the July 15, 1999 edition of the Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY) after the Rochester Raging Rhinos upset the defending MLS Cup and US Open Cup champion Chicago Fire.

ROUND 3: Rochester Raging Rhinos 1, Chicago Fire 0

In the next round, the Rhinos found themselves in a battle worthy of a Final. Rochester, the defending A-League champions welcomed the defending MLS Cup and US Open Cup champions in the Chicago Fire. With two major trophies already added to Chicago’s trophy case after its inaugural season, the Rhinos were not intimidated.

After Yari Allnutt headed home a Michael Kirmse corner kick to put the Rhinos ahead in the 51st minute, the more than 10,000 fans in attendance at Rochester’s Frontier Field saw the game’s physical play cranked up to another level.

“We had a mentality that we don’t care where you play, we’re going to come and take it to you and compete on any given day and make sure we’re going to be successful,” said Rhinos forward Doug Miller. “Other teams, they had given more respect and time for these guys to play … we were very hard-nosed and very chippy.”

That hard-nosed approach produced a tournament-high 45 fouls between the two teams, but the cards didn’t start coming out until about 20 minutes into the second half.

With roughly 15 minutes left in the game, Chicago’s Lubos Kubik got into a confrontation with multiple Rhinos players which led to him putting Rochester’s Scott Schweitzer in a headlock. Kubik and Schweitzer, who were the previous year’s Defender of the Year in their respective leagues, were both sent off.

Despite missing their top defender, goalkeeper Pat Onstad and the Rhinos were able to keep the Fire’s high-powered offense off the scoresheet. Rochester’s defense held Chicago to just eight shots with Onstad, a Canadian international, only needing to make three saves to earn the clean sheet. With the win, the Rhinos were moving on to the Quarterfinals, 1-0.

“We had that swagger where we knew we could win. They came in with their best team and we came in with our best team and it was a fight,” said Ercoli.

“Some of those things we did in that game, you wouldn’t get away with today. You would have seen four or five red cards ,” Ercoli added with a chuckle.

QUARTERFINALS: Rochester Raging Rhinos 2, Dallas Burn 1 (OT)

The sports page in the Democrat & Chronicle (Rochester, NY) on Aug 12, 1999 as the Rochester Raging Rhinos defeated the Dallas Burn in the Quarterfinals of the 1999 US Open Cup.

In the Quarterfinals, the Rhinos hosted the 1997 US Open Cup champion Dallas Burn in front of another crowd of more than 10,000 fans. This was nothing new for the Rhinos faithful who’s attendance figures had made Rochester a strong candidate to join Major League Soccer. The match against Dallas drew an announced crowd of 10,730, which was the seventh time that a US Open Cup match cracked the 10,000 mark in the Modern Era. Of those seven games, four of them were hosted by the Rhinos at Frontier Field, one of them was the 1998 Final, and the record of 20,376 was a Colorado Rapids game at Mile High Stadium against the Seattle Sounders (A-League) that was given a significant boost as being the opening match of a doubleheader with the US Men’s National Team playing against Derby County of the English Premier League.

After a scoreless first half, Mauro Biello opened the scoring by redirecting a Tim Hardy shot past Dallas’ All-Star goalkeeper Matt Jordan in the 71st minute. Jason Kreis, who would finish tied as MLS’ leading goalscorer that year and win the MLS MVP award, rescued the Burn with an 85th minute equalizer on a cross from Paul Broome.

Just like the match against the Freedoms in Round 2, it came down to extra time and another golden goal from the Rhinos. Michael Kirmse was at the right place at the right time. In the 110th minute, Biello sent in a free kick that Tilley headed off the crossbar. The rebound fell right to Kirmse who put it into the back of the net to send Rochester back to the Semifinals for the second time in four years.

The game was satisfying for the Rhinos because of the criticism directed at them by members of the Dallas Burn before the game. Chief among them was outspoken Dallas head coach Dave Dir saying that Rochester played like “11 Dennis Rodmans”, referring to the physical style of play of the NBA star. While Dir attacked the players’ style of play, Kreis mocked the size of the Rhinos’ Frontier Field, saying “when they play on a real field, they’re going to get their butts beat.”

“That was definitely fodder for the locker room,” said Ercoli. “Scott Schweitzer was one of the guys on our team that made sure everyone knew about it.”

SEMIFINALS: Rochester Raging Rhinos 3, Columbus Crew 2

The Rhinos played away from home for the first time as both Semifinals were scheduled at a neutral venue at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex (Va.) on Sept. 1. Both games featured an A-League vs. MLS match-up, however, the event was overshadowed, quite literally, by the weather as Hurricane Dennis was bearing down on the region. The game was able to move forward because Dennis was downgraded to a tropical storm, but it still brought high winds and heavy rain to the doubleheader.

Rochester Raging Rhinos head coach Pat Ercoli celebrates his club’s 1999 US Open Cup title. Photo courtesy of Pat Ercoli

Earlier in the evening, the Colorado Rapids (MLS), the team the Rhinos beat in the 1996 Semifinals, punched their ticket to the Final with a 3-0 win over the A-League’s Charleston Battery. All the scoring came in the second half with Jorge Dely Valdes accounting for two of them and Paul Bravo adding another. Wolde Harris assisted on two of the three goals, while Ian Feuer made four saves to earn the clean sheet. After the match, Rapids head coach Glenn Myernick had the quote of the night: “It was a great night, if you’re a duck.”

It was already announced that the tournament’s championship game two weeks later would be held at the Crew’s new soccer-specific stadium in Columbus. So when the Rhinos kicked off against a star-studded Crew team in the pouring rain, they would play spoiler in the most dramatic way possible.

With wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour, it was not a fun night for anyone but especially the goalkeepers.

“I’ve never played in wind like that before in my life,” said Rhinos goalkeeper Pat Onstad, who was the A-League Goalkeeper of the Year in his debut season the year before. “I would try to hit a goal kick as hard as I possibly could and it would get about 30 yards out and it would be coming back at our center backs and they would be heading it out. It was crazy.”

After a scoreless first half, the game opened up with the Rhinos answering everything the Crew fired at them. Despite facing 8 Rochester players in the wall, Columbus’ Robert Warzycha connected on a stunning free kick in the 56th minute to give the Crew, one of the top teams in MLS, a 1-0 lead. The Rhinos nearly equalized in the next few minutes as Darren Tilley had a goal disallowed for offside and Bill Sedgewick launched a shot from distance that hit the post.

Rochester would finally level the match in the 68th minute when Tilley headed home a Tommy Tanner cross. Just under ten minutes later, the Crew’s speedy winger Brian West put his team back in front, only to see Schweitzer take a rare free kick from 25 yards away that took a deflection off of Tanner and ended up in the back of the net.

It looked like Rochester was headed to its third extra time match in four matches, but three minutes into stoppage time, another Rhinos defender came to the rescue. Tim Hardy, cut inside his defender on the wing, took a shot that caught a gust of wind that carried into the corner of the goal, out of the reach of MLS goalkeeper wins leader Mark Dougherty.

It remains one of the most exciting finishes of the US Open Cup’s Modern Era (1995-present).

Mali Walton of the Rochester Raging Rhinos celebrates after winning the 1999 US Open Cup with a 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids.

“At that point, we knew we were destined to win this thing,” said Ercoli.

FINAL: Rochester Raging Rhinos 2, Colorado Rapids 0

The hopes of a sold-out Crew Stadium for the Final were dashed as soon as the Rhinos eliminated Columbus in that rainy Semifinal in Virginia Beach. The vast majority of the announced crowd of 4,555 were cheering for the Rhinos against the Rapids, with many of those fans making the roughly 400-mile trip from Rochester on a Tuesday night. Those unable to make the trip were able to watch the game live on ESPN2, giving fans around the country a taste of the drama that the US Open Cup is capable of.

After three upsets of MLS teams, Rhinos beat writer Jeff Di Veronica wrote in his recap of the Columbus Crew game that “it might be time to stop calling Rochester’s wins over MLS teams upsets.”

After a scoreless first half, the Rhinos were struggling to create chances and needed to add some speed to the attack, so Coach Ercoli brought on a not-so-secret weapon in the 62nd minute. The club’s all-time leading scorer Doug Miller, who was frustrated because he had been the odd man out of the starting lineup in recent weeks, gave the Rhinos the spark they needed.

Rochester Raging Rhinos: 1999 US Open Cup champions

Three minutes after entering the game, Miller received the ball on the left wing, beat Rapids defender Peter Vermes and fired a shot through the legs of Colorado goalkeeper Ian Feuer to give the Rhinos the lead. Pat Onstad made some big saves down the stretch and Yari Allnutt put the game away with a goal in the 90th minute to kick off a long night of celebrations for the Rhinos and their traveling fans.

Miller used that moment to spark the rest of his season as he played a big role in the team’s playoff run as he scored six goals in the team’s seven playoff games as Rochester reached the A-League championship game before losing 2-1 to the Minnesota Thunder.

For Miller, looking back on his career, the US Open Cup title is something he will never forget.

“I’ve got four championships, two indoor, two outdoor, and I’ve got an amateur championship, but that ranks right up there at the top for many reasons,” said Miller. “To win the US Open Cup and to beat all those MLS teams in the fashion that we did was special.”

FULL MATCH REPLAY

“WHEN MLS DIDN’T WIN THE US OPEN CUP”

SOCCER SAM RECAP: 1999 US OPEN CUP FINAL

LOCAL NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

2019 US Open Cup Round of 16: Brandon Vazquez brace leads Atlanta United past Columbus Crew, into first Quarterfinal

June 19, 2019 by Tyler Fisher

Brandon Vazquez of Atlanta United celebrates one of his goals in the rain with teammate Justin Meram in his club's Round of 16 match against the Columbus Crew in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Ralph Schudel | @schudel_ralph on Twitter and Instagram — Brandon Vazquez of Atlanta United celebrates one of his goals in the rain with teammate Justin Meram in his club’s Round of 16 match against the Columbus Crew in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Ralph Schudel | @schudel_ralph on Twitter and Instagram

The Round of 16 of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup kicked off with Atlanta United traveling to MAPFRE Stadium to take on Columbus Crew SC in what seemed to be a reasonably overcast evening.
Unlike last time, where there were many showers of rain blessed upon the folks at MAPFRE Stadium, and Crew SC were victorious 2-0. That wasn’t the case this time around as Atlanta United defeated Columbus, 3-2 to punch their ticket to the Quarterfinals for the first time.
Atlanta United got the opening goal in the fifth minute when a poor giveaway from David Guzman gave Brandon Vazquez the room to slide the ball past goalkeeper Jon Kempin to give the away side a 1-0 lead.

“We have to recognize moments,” said Atlanta United head coach Frank de Boer. “Hey, you can’t sit back. You have to track back sometimes. Sometimes an opponent will push you back. I think that’s the most important thing. We lost a little bit of the initiative. We always want the initiative.”
Columbus had a decent look on goal in the eighth minute when David Accam found Patrick Mullins inside the penalty area for a shot on goal. Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan was there for the save, however.
Miles Robinson doubled United’s lead when Barco served in a corner kick and Robinson got his head on the end of the service.

Let’s keep this going ??

Highlights from another knockout win ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/4bc92kdjSH

— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) June 19, 2019

After 15 minutes, Crew SC found themselves down at home. As time progressed, Columbus found themselves getting stronger, gaining more possession, but Atlanta found a way to keep the Black and Gold at bay.
Atlanta nearly got a third in the 37th minute when former Crew winger Justin Meram found space inside the penalty area to take a shot, but it went just wide of the frame and out for a goal kick.
Vazquez almost got his second goal of the game when another bad backpass let Vazquez in on goal all alone, but his sharp-angle attempt hit the far post and back into play.
Columbus would get a goal back in the 40th minute when David Accam got his second goal in as many US Open Cup matches to cut the deficit to one goal.
Columbus would hold the halftime momentum from Accam’s goal as both teams would go to their respective locker rooms, Atlanta holding the 2-1 advantage.
The second half brought Deja Vu when the rain started falling heavily.
Atlanta would extend their league when Vazquez notched his brace in the 65th minute, slotting the ball past Kempin at the far post to extend the lead to 3-1.
Vazquez is now tied for the tournament lead in goals with four, alongside the Richmond Kickers’ Charles Boateng.
Waylon Francis made his return to the Crew SC lineup with a bang, pulling Columbus within one yet again in the 71st minute when his shot took a deflection off of an Atlanta defender and into the back of the net.
Minutes later, Mother Nature got involved when a severe weather delay was placed in effect in the 75th minute. This would be good for Columbus as they attempted to regroup during the break, hoping to score an equalizer in the final 15 minutes.

Brandon Vazquez of Atlanta United celebrates one of his goals with his teammates in his club's Round of 16 match against the Columbus Crew in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Ralph Schudel | @schudel_ralph on Twitter and Instagram — Brandon Vazquez of Atlanta United celebrates one of his goals with his teammates in his club’s Round of 16 match against the Columbus Crew in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Ralph Schudel | @schudel_ralph on Twitter and Instagram

After approximately 49 minutes, the game resumed after both teams agreed to have a 10-minute warm up.

After play resumed, neither team was able to find another goal, but the game didn’t end without controversy.

In the final minute of the match, Accam was brought down in the penalty area but center official Guido Gonzalez Jr. decided not to award a penalty kick. The entire Columbus bench and staff swarmed the referee to offer their opinion on the no-call.
“The way that the official handled the last 15 minutes was shocking,” said a baffled and irate Caleb Porter. “It’s one of the tough things about this competition. They trial officials and see how they do. It’s disappointing. These games, there’s a lot at stake. You need high-level officials that know how to smell a game and manage it.”
With Columbus still struggling to get past the Round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup, their attention now is focused on the real prize, and that’s making a hard push for the playoffs during league play.
“With the Open Cup gone, we’re going to throw everything into the last 18 games, and we need to approach these games with the same attitude, effort, and density.”
Atlanta will now await the winner of Saint Louis FC and FC Cincinnati in the Round of Eight.

“We only go for one thing and that’s to win the cup,” said de Boer.
With the win, this is Atlanta’s first trip to the Quarterfinals, They are the first Georgia team to reach the Quarterfinals since 2014 Atlanta Silverbacks led by head coach Eric Wynalda.

2019 US Open Cup Round 4: David Accam’s lone goal enough for Columbus Crew to oust Pittsburgh Riverhounds

June 11, 2019 by Tyler Fisher

David Accam of the Columbus Crew scored the lone goal in a 1-0 Fourth Round win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Ralph Schudel | Twitter, IG: @schudel_ralph

To kick off the Fourth Round of the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds traveled to the Buckeye State to take on Columbus Crew SC. Columbus would defeat the Riverhounds 1-0, with David Accam getting the only tally of the game.

MAPFRE Stadium was covered in Black & Gold with fans from both teams. On the field, there wasn’t much to talk about in the first half. It was a lackluster performance from both teams, with Columbus dominating possession with 69%. Both teams were able to hold their own but made little to no effort on creating good chances.

Columbus outshot Pittsburgh 6-3, and also made almost double the passes in just the first half alone.

Columbus had a little more offense in the second half, gaining more and more momentum to pressure Pittsburgh.

“Normal game like that. When a team sits in and makes it a defensive game, it’s difficult,” said Crew SC head coach Caleb Porter. “I think we came out fine. We had to be patient, and I think we were in the second half.”

It wasn’t until the 56th minute that Columbus Crew SC would get the first goal for the home side Black & Gold when he tapped home a cross from Pedro Santos. This would be Accam’s first goal for Columbus across all competitions. It was his seventh career US Open Cup goal after scoring a goal during the Philadelphia Union’s run to the Final last year, and tying for the tournament lead with five goals in 2016 with the Chicago Fire.

Crew SC came close to getting a second goal when Santos got a shot off of a half volley, but it was deflected out for a Columbus corner kick.

David Accam scored the only goal of the game to see @ColumbusCrewSC past @RiverhoundsSC to become the first team to book passage to the 2019 Round of 16.#USOC2019 | ? Highlights pic.twitter.com/2ZlziywthC

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) June 12, 2019

The golden chance to double their lead came in the 68th minute when Patrick Mullins was knocked down in the penalty box, giving Crew SC a penalty kick. Things didn’t go well afterward, as Pedro Santos went for the upper 90 but shanked the ball off the crossbar.

Pittsburgh got their first good look on goal in the 83rd minute when Kenardo Forbes, the hero from the Hounds’ Third Round win over Indy Eleven, took a shot that just went over the crossbar.

With the win, Columbus Crew SC advance to the Fifth Round of the US Open Cup for the first time since 2016. It was a welcome result after losing their opening round game the last two years.

All ?#CLBvPIT | #Crew96 pic.twitter.com/GsGNvKzZyC

— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) June 11, 2019

“Tournament football. That’s what it’s about. It’s about winning and advancing,” said an upbeat Porter. “Next week we want to get in the round of eight.”

Now that the Open Cup has started, it’s fallen within a difficult time, especially for the Columbus Crew. With many injuries, and now dealing with multiple key pieces out due to national team duty, dealing with lineup changes and rotations are now weighing heavy for the Black & Gold.

When asked how he would prioritize this, Porter went on to say with a chuckle, “When you look at how many guys we have injured or gone, I don’t know if there was much of a choice.”

Columbus now awaits the Thursday drawing to see who their next opponent is in the Round of 16.