The US Open Cup meeting between Columbus Crew and St. Louis City SC ended in a tightly contested 0-0 draw at Lower.com Field on October 22, 2026, with both sides cancelling each other out in a cup tie that promised more than it ultimately delivered in front of goal. Columbus enjoyed the bulk of possession and pushed numbers forward after the break, but St. Louis City SC defended with discipline and carried a genuine counter-attacking threat throughout. The scoreline reflected a night of strong goalkeeping, compact defensive blocks and a few decisive interventions in the final third.

Match overview

With a place in the next round at stake, the home side started as the more proactive team. Columbus Crew looked to dictate tempo through midfield and create overloads on the flanks, while St. Louis City SC sat in a well-organised mid-block and looked to spring forward through quick transitions. The opening 20 minutes set the pattern: Columbus circulated the ball patiently, St. Louis stayed compact, and clear-cut chances were rare.

The cup atmosphere added edge to the contest. Both MLS sides pressed with intensity, but the final pass repeatedly eluded them in the attacking third. Columbus’ best spells came when their full-backs pushed high and the midfield rotated to create space between the lines. St. Louis, meanwhile, were dangerous whenever they won the ball back and attacked the space behind Columbus’ advanced defensive line.

Key moments

The first real opening fell to Columbus when Diego Rossi worked space on the edge of the box and forced a sharp save from St. Louis goalkeeper Roman Bürki. St. Louis responded with a headed chance from João Klauss, who met a whipped cross but directed his effort too close to Patrick Schulte. The Columbus goalkeeper was called into action again before half-time, reacting well to a low drive from Eduard Löwen.

After the interval, Columbus turned up the pressure. Mohamed Farsi’s overlapping runs caused problems, and Jacen Russell-Rowe saw a close-range effort blocked by a last-ditch challenge. St. Louis nearly stole the tie late on when a quick break ended with a shot flashing wide of the far post. In the final minutes, Bürki produced the save of the night, pushing away a curling strike from the edge of the area to preserve the 0-0 scoreline.

Tactical story

Columbus Crew’s 4-2-3-1 shape was built around control. Darlington Nagbe dropped deep to link play, the wide forwards drifted inside, and the full-backs provided width. That approach produced sustained possession but also left Columbus vulnerable to counters when moves broke down. St. Louis City SC’s compact 4-4-2 structure was designed to absorb pressure and strike on the break, with Klauss acting as the focal point and Löwen pulling the strings in transition.

The game became a battle of patience versus penetration. Columbus often found themselves in promising wide areas but struggled to pick out a decisive final ball against a crowded penalty area. St. Louis, by contrast, had fewer touches in the box but created some of the clearest moments because their attacks came against a stretched Columbus shape. Neither side managed to sustain pressure long enough to force a breakthrough.

Standout players

• Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew): Commanded his area well and made two important first-half saves, including a strong stop from Löwen.
• Roman Bürki (St. Louis City SC): The experienced goalkeeper was the visitors’ anchor, producing a late save that underlined his value in cup football.
• Darlington Nagbe (Columbus Crew): Set the tempo in midfield and repeatedly recycled possession under pressure.
• Eduard Löwen (St. Louis City SC): St. Louis’ most dangerous outlet, driving forward and testing Schulte from distance.

What the result means

The 0-0 draw leaves both teams with mixed emotions. Columbus will feel they did enough to win, having controlled long spells and created the better volume of chances, but they lacked the cutting edge to turn territory into goals. St. Louis will take encouragement from a disciplined away performance and a clean sheet against one of the stronger sides in the competition. In the broader context of the US Open Cup, the result adds another layer to the growing rivalry between the two clubs and leaves both camps with clear areas to address before their next fixtures.