St. Louis City SC won its first major trophy in club history on Wednesday, beating Columbus Crew 5-4 in a penalty shootout to capture the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus.
The St. Louis City SC first Open Cup title came after 120 scoreless minutes and a shootout that ended on Daniel Edelman’s clinching shot.
The 0-0 deadlock held through regulation and two extra-time periods despite Columbus controlling the ball and out-shooting St. Louis 19-5, with each side managing just two shots on target. St. Louis converted all five of its shootout attempts, with goals from Timo Baumgartl, Lukas MacNaughton, Chris Durkin, Damion Downs and Edelman sealing the win.
The Main Development: A Shootout Decided By A Backup Keeper
Backup goalkeeper Ben Lundt, who entered in the 78th minute, made the save that swung the shootout. Lundt stopped Santiago Rodriguez’s attempt in the first round, with the shot deflecting off the post. It marked the first Open Cup final to reach penalties since 2015, when Sporting Kansas City beat Philadelphia Union.
Lundt’s entry came under difficult circumstances. Starting goalkeeper Roman Bürki, the 35-year-old captain in his fourth season with the club, was injured in the 69th minute when Columbus winger Anass Zaroury’s knee struck him in the head during a save attempt. Bürki was removed on a stretcher but waved and gave a thumbs up to the crowd as he left the field.
Bürki previously spent seven seasons with Borussia Dortmund before signing with St. Louis.
What It Means For St. Louis City SC’s History
The victory gives St. Louis City SC its first trophy since entering MLS, and it comes with a tangible reward: a berth in the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup. The club reached the final without star striker Rafael Navarro, acquired for a $12 million transfer fee, who was ineligible because he had already played in the tournament for Colorado Rapids this year under Open Cup rules barring players from representing two clubs in the same edition.
For Columbus Crew, the loss ended a bid for a second Open Cup title in club history. It was the fourth time Columbus reached an Open Cup final and the second time the club hosted one.
Context: St. Louis’ Soccer Roots Run Deeper Than MLS
The city’s Open Cup history predates its MLS franchise by decades. St. Louis produced Open Cup champions as far back as the 1950 Simpkins-Ford team and the 1988 Busch Seniors squad, coached by Joe Olwig.
The 1988 title marked the last time a local St. Louis club dominated the competition before MLS teams began entering and taking over the tournament, according to the U.S. Open Cup, which has been open to professional and amateur clubs alike but dominated by MLS sides for more than two decades.
Jeff Robben, who played goalkeeper for the 1988 Busch Seniors, said the arrival of MLS clubs in the Open Cup made it impossible for a local amateur team to repeat what his squad accomplished. Olwig, that team’s head coach, called St. Louis City’s run to this year’s final refreshing, saying it reminds people of the old days built on work ethic and team-oriented play, now paired with more talent.
Observer Tim Lange said St. Louis City’s style of play was the best he had seen in person in the city in a long time.
What’s Next
St. Louis City SC now carries its first piece of silverware into a 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup appearance earned through the Open Cup win. The club’s continued push this season follows a record-setting unbeaten run detailed in St.
Louis City’s historic unbeaten streak and its climb in the MLS Western Conference standings. Bürki’s recovery timeline from his head injury had not been detailed following the match.
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