St. Louis City SC 2-2 Houston Dynamo | United States Open Cup | 20 May 2026

St. Louis City SC and Houston Dynamo played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at CityPark in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup. The match featured two comebacks and ended with both teams still in contention, though Houston will feel they let a lead slip twice.

First-Half Action

St. Louis started brightly and created the first clear chance in the 12th minute, but a sharp save by Houston goalkeeper Steve Clark kept the scores level. Houston struck against the run of play in the 28th minute when winger Corey Baird latched onto a long ball and finished with composure. The goal stunned the home crowd, but St. Louis responded quickly. Just four minutes later, striker Niko Gioacchini headed in a corner to make it 1-1.

Second-Half Drama

Houston regained the lead in the 56th minute through midfielder Amine Bassi, who curled a free kick over the wall and into the top corner. The Dynamo then appeared to control the game, creating several half-chances to extend their lead. However, St. Louis pushed forward and equalised again in the 74th minute. Substitute Caden Glover, a 19-year-old academy product, fired in from the edge of the box after a deflected pass fell kindly to him.

Tactical Overview

St. Louis head coach Bradley Carnell adopted a high-pressing 4-3-3 formation, while Houston's Paulo Nagamura set up in a compact 4-2-3-1 designed to counter. The tactical battle saw both teams create chances—St. Louis had 14 shots to Houston's 11—but neither could find a winner in the final 20 minutes.

Standout Players

For St. Louis, midfielder Indiana Vassilev was the engine of the team, completing 92% of his passes and making two key interceptions. Houston's Griffin Dorsey was a constant threat down the right flank, delivering four crosses into dangerous areas.

What This Means

The draw forces a replay, which will take place at Houston's Shell Energy Stadium on a date yet to be confirmed. For St. Louis, the result continues their unbeaten run in all competitions to six matches. For Houston, the disappointment of not holding a lead is tempered by the chance to finish the job at home.

Both clubs will now turn their attention back to MLS as the Open Cup fixture list is reshuffled.