COLUMBUS — The Columbus Crew's hopes of winning their first U.S. Open Cup championship in 24 years came to a disappointing end Wednesday night, falling to St. Louis CITY SC 5-3 in a penalty shootout after the two clubs played to a 0-0 draw through extra time.
The defeat at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field ended Columbus' chances of adding another trophy to its collection and securing a berth in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. Instead, St. Louis celebrated its first U.S. Open Cup championship while the Crew were left wondering what might have been.
Columbus had several opportunities to win the match before penalties, including a first-half shot that struck the post, but neither side could find the back of the net during 120 minutes of play.
Crew Come Close in the First Half
Columbus started aggressively, creating several opportunities during the opening minutes. Santiago Rodríguez had an attempt blocked in the 12th minute, while Brais Méndez missed the target in the 16th as the Crew looked to establish control.
The Crew's best opportunity came during a busy stretch late in the first half. After several attempts were blocked or saved, Mohamed Farsi struck the left post in the 41st minute, coming within inches of putting Columbus ahead.
Taha Habroune also had an opportunity moments later, but the Crew couldn't capitalize on their pressure. St. Louis defended effectively, blocking several shots and keeping the match scoreless heading into halftime.
Neither Team Breaks Through
Columbus continued searching for a breakthrough after halftime, but the match remained scoreless despite opportunities for both clubs.
Méndez had an attempt blocked in the 55th minute, and the Crew created another promising sequence in the 69th. Anass Zaroury forced a save from St. Louis goalkeeper Roman Bürki, while Habroune and Farsi also had attempts that failed to find the net.
The match took a concerning turn when Bürki suffered a head injury in the 77th minute. The St. Louis goalkeeper required medical attention, was taken off on a stretcher, and was subsequently transported to a hospital for evaluation.
Ben Lundt replaced Bürki in the 78th minute, taking over in goal with the championship still undecided.
St. Louis threatened late in regulation, but Sean Zawadzki blocked a Conrad Wallem attempt in the 80th minute to help keep Columbus level.
Neither team managed to score during the additional 30 minutes of extra time. Crew goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen stopped Simon Becher's attempt in the 101st minute, and the match headed to penalties after 120 scoreless minutes.
St. Louis Wins the Shootout
St. Louis took the first penalty, with Timo Baumgartl converting to put the visitors ahead. Lundt then saved Rodríguez's attempt, giving CITY SC an advantage it would never surrender.
Lukas MacNaughton converted St. Louis' second penalty before Malte Amundsen scored for Columbus. Chris Durkin then made it three successful attempts for CITY SC, with Gonzalo Tapia responding for the Crew.
Damion Downs converted St. Louis' fourth attempt, and Andrés Herrera kept Columbus alive by scoring his penalty. But Daniel Edelman stepped up and converted the visitors' fifth attempt, sealing a 5-3 shootout victory and the championship.
St. Louis converted all five of its penalties, while Columbus scored on three of its four attempts. Rodríguez's saved attempt ultimately proved to be the difference, as the Crew couldn't overcome the early deficit.
A Difficult Ending to the Cup Run
Columbus entered Wednesday's final having won five of its previous six matches, including Sunday's 2-0 victory over FC Cincinnati in the Hell is Real derby. The Crew had also beaten Richmond, One Knoxville, New York City FC, and Orlando City to reach the championship match.
The final offered an opportunity to win the competition for the first time since 2002, when Columbus defeated the LA Galaxy 1-0. The Crew had worked their way through the tournament and earned the advantage of hosting the championship, but couldn't find the finishing touch Wednesday.
For interim coach Laurent Courtois and his players, the loss will be frustrating. Columbus created opportunities to win, but after 120 scoreless minutes, one saved penalty was enough to decide the championship.
What's Next
The Crew return to MLS play Saturday, October 24, when they host Toronto FC at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, with the match available on Apple TV.
