COLUMBUS, Ohio — Orlando City SC’s 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign ended Wednesday night with a 2-1 semifinal loss to the Columbus Crew at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, sending the Lions back to Florida with only MLS league play left to salvage their season.
“The defeat is recent, so we need to digest it and go through that pain and process as quickly as possible,” Interim Head Coach Martín Perelman said. “We really expected to move forward in the competition. We made a huge effort to arrive here and we are so sad about the defeat.”
Columbus struck first in the ninth minute when Josef Martínez capitalized on a lofted ball from Santiago Rodríguez. Orlando answered in the 40th minute after Justin Ellis made a solo run from deep in midfield, bypassing multiple Columbus defenders to set up Martín Ojeda, who ripped a shot from distance to equalize. The goal was Ojeda’s 12th of the 2026 campaign across all competitions and his 45th all-time for the Lions, moving him within two of club record holder Facundo Torres, who tallied 47. Ellis recorded his team-leading 12th assist across all competitions this year and 12th all-time for Orlando.
The Crew found the game-winner in the 52nd minute as Brais Méndez made a perfectly timed run into the box to volley in a cross from Rodriguez.
Perelman made four changes to his starting lineup from the club’s previous match against Toronto FC, inserting Eduard Atuesta, Ellis, Robin Jansson and Bernardo Rhein into the starting XI. Defender Adrián Marín missed the match with a thigh injury, while midfielder Braian Ojeda was unavailable with a foot injury.
“We will do the self-critique, not only the players but also the coaching staff, everybody together, in the good and bad moments,” Perelman said. “We will do that and continue being strong, knowing that there’s a lot of time to go in the league and that we want to compete, perform and win.”
Orlando City now turns its attention to league play, where the Lions sit sixth in the Eastern Conference as they chase a seventh consecutive playoff appearance — the longest active streak in MLS. The club travels to Gillette Stadium this Saturday to face the New England Revolution, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Apple TV.