St. Louis City Clinches US Open Cup, Ending 38‑Year Wait Over Columbus Crew

For much of the 20th century, lifting the US Open Cup meant defeating a team from St. Louis. The Gateway City hosted many of the United States’ finest clubs during the sport’s fledgling periods, amassing ten championships across six different sides. The last triumph arrived in 1988, when the St. Louis Busch Seniors defeated San Francisco’s Greek‑American AC in a tournament long dominated by amateur and semi‑pro outfits. Since MLS launched in 1996, its clubs have claimed the Open Cup every year except one, and St. Louis gained an MLS franchise only in 2023.

From day one, club officials vowed to restore the city’s soccer legacy. That promise has now been fulfilled. St. Louis City lifted the US Open Cup, beating the Columbus Crew 5‑4 on penalties away from home to end a 38‑year drought for a major U.S. soccer trophy and secure a spot in the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Daniel Edelman stepped up to convert the winning penalty, while backup goalkeeper Ben Lundt saved Columbus’s opening attempt after entering the match in the second half.

City’s inaugural honor is also the nation’s oldest trophy, a fitting nod to St. Louis’s deep soccer heritage. Wednesday’s showdown was the 109th final in the Open Cup’s history, which debuted in 1913‑14 and has been contested every year—except for a two‑year pause during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

St. Louis achieved this feat under MLS’s youngest manager, Yoann Damet, a 36‑year‑old Frenchman who had been Wilfried Nancy’s top assistant with Columbus before being overlooked for the top job when Nancy departed. The Gateway City can now thank him for the decision.

Both Columbus and St. Louis entered the final as two of the league’s most visually appealing sides, yet both adopted a cautious approach. St. Louis dominated possession at 60% for the opening thirty minutes but failed to register a single shot on target. When the ball did break to the hosts, they created limited chances for Brais Méndez, yet could not breach Roman Bürki’s goal.

Referee Guido Gonzales Jr. called halftime after the 45th minute, ending the first half without additional stoppage time—a decision that drew little objection.

Both teams returned to a guarded style after the interval. Columbus exerted pressure, generating 11 touches inside St. Louis’s box while the visitors managed just a single entry. Despite the dominance, Bürki kept the lone on‑target effort out of the net. In response, Columbus increased its fouling to disrupt St. Louis’s attacking flow.

The 69th minute became a pivotal moment. Columbus attacked again, and Santi Rodríguez was tackled heavily from behind by Carlo Holse, yet the referee allowed play to continue. Méndez collected the loose ball, cut across the top of the box to his left, and released a through‑ball to former Morocco international Anass Zaroury. Zaroury’s shot was blocked by a fearless Bürki, who absorbed a knee to the head from the wing‑back, staying down as the play collapsed.

As the former Switzerland international received medical treatment, VAR reviewed the initial challenge on Holse, ultimately clearing any penalty call. The six‑minute examination resulted in Bürki leaving the field on a stretcher to a stadium‑wide applause. CBS Sports later reported that Bürki was “OK” shortly after his exit, though he was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Backup goalkeeper Ben Lundt, who had previously saved a penalty for St. Louis in their quarter‑final shoot‑out against Houston, entered the match.

A second injury soon followed: Columbus midfielder Taha Habroune appeared to strain a leg muscle, prompting Eric Bailly onto the bench and captain Sean Zawadzki shifting to midfield. The fourth official added 11 minutes of stoppage time, accounting for the prolonged delay while Bürki was treated. The Nordecke amplified their support, yet the game’s physicality persisted. St. Louis generated a clear shooting opportunity in the tenth minute of stoppage time, but Damion Downs took a heavy touch that prevented a shot.

One minute later, the final whistle sounded. Despite Columbus out‑shooting St. Louis 16‑3, neither side found the net in regulation, and no trophy was awarded. The match proceeded into a tense 30‑minute extra‑time period.

Neither side yielded any space in the opening minutes of extra time, trading physical challenges while struggling to capitalize on set‑piece opportunities.

Timo Baumgartl opened the shoot‑out with a successful conversion, but Columbus’s Santi Rodríguez saw his attempt saved by Lundt’s left hand. Both teams exchanged flawless penalties for the next three rounds, though Lundt nearly denied Andrés Herrera with a finger save in the fourth. Edelman stepped up last and coolly placed the ball in the net to secure the victory.

MLS’s scheduling posed challenges, as both clubs had to travel during the weekend; however, St. Louis benefited from an extra day of rest. The hosts also faced a significant setback, lacking striker Rafael Navarro, who had been capped for the tournament while playing for the Colorado Rapids through the quarter‑finals. Navarro, a perceived MLS Best XI candidate, was unavailable for the final.

Columbus had been competitive on multiple fronts under Wilfried Nancy, but his departure at the end of the 2025 season thrust the Crew into a period of transition. Opting not to retain Damet, his former assistant, Columbus recruited Henrik Rydström, a coach who describes himself as an adherent of “relationism.” The Swede struggled to adjust to MLS, steering the team toward the Eastern Conference cellar and was dismissed in May after only 17 matches.

Columbus then appointed Laurent Courtois, yet another former Nancy protégé. Meanwhile, Damet is emerging as a coach‑of‑the‑year candidate, positioning St. Louis for a top‑three finish in the Western Conference and now holding the Open Cup title.

In a world where alternate realities dominate storytelling, Columbus may contemplate the road not taken had they retained Damet. Their choice proved costly, handing St. Louis a valuable asset. The Western Conference side now eyes a fresh era of success under MLS’s youngest manager, hoping this triumph marks the start of more silverware to come.

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