Columbus Crew Edge Orlando City 2-1 to Reach First US Open Cup Final Since 2010
The Columbus Crew are one win away from lifting the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time in nearly a quarter century after defeating Orlando City SC 2-1 on Wednesday night at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. The victory books the club’s first US Open Cup Final appearance since 2010, keeping alive a trophy dream in a season that has seen its share of struggles. For Orlando, it was a heartbreaking exit marked by late drama and controversial officiating.
Orlando took an early lead through Marco Pasalic, and it appeared that goal might stand up. However, Diego Rossi, known as a Lion killer, struck with just 10 minutes remaining in normal time to level the score. The match then descended into chaos when referee Marrufo was called to the monitor. In the buildup to Rossi’s goal, a blatant foul by Rossi was ignored, with the referee ruling it a different attacking phase—despite Orlando never regaining clear control of the ball. Moments later, a routine shirt pull by Cesar Araujo on Aidan Morris, embellished significantly by Morris falling away from the direction of the tug, was deemed clear-cut enough to wipe out a penalty for Orlando at the other end. The decisions left the Lions fuming and proved decisive in the final outcome.
Columbus will now prepare for the final, while Orlando returns to league play with significant attacking momentum, particularly through Antoine Griezmann. The Crew’s resilience in overcoming an equalizer before halftime and holding on through the second half speaks to their determination. As the club aims to end a near 25-year drought, the US Open Cup represents a golden opportunity to salvage a challenging season with silverware.
For fans looking to catch future matches, local start times vary by time zone: Eastern Time 8:00 PM, Central Time 7:00 PM, Mountain Time 6:00 PM, and Pacific Time 5:00 PM. With the final on the horizon, Columbus will look to capitalize on this hard-fought victory and etch their name in history once more.
Shimanta Das 
