NYCFC vs Columbus Crew preview: The 2026 U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals | OneFootball

For the first time since 2022, New York City FC is back in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup.  The Boys in Blue defeated their rivals, the New York Red Bulls, in the last round of the competition to secure their spot as one of the final eight teams.  As such, they will face the Columbus Crew, whom they beat in Major League Soccer back on May 10.

Moreover, they have been fortunate to have ended their Major League Soccer winless streak since then. In other words, NYCFC is in a better position as a team, with the exception of the loss of Maxi Moralez.  The fan-favorite midfielder possibly played his final game with the Bronx side after injuring himself in the MLS Hudson River Derby over the weekend.

So, the Pigeons could play for Moralez when they take the pitch in Ohio.  They will not only want to win to make the semifinals of the Open Cup for the first time, but they will want to win for someone who has NYCFC running through his blood.  And with the Crew arguably struggling more than anyone would have expected, this is a great time to pounce and earn another win.

Can NYCFC secure the win?  Or will the ghosts of the Open Cup’s past come back to haunt them?  Here is a preview of the upcoming match with Columbus.

NYCFC vs Columbus Crew preview

Date

NYCFC and Columbus will play for a spot in the semifinals on Wednesday, May 20.

Time

The game will begin at 7:30 PM.

Location

The fixture will be at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Ohio.

How to watch

The match can be seen on both Paramount+ with a subscription and CBS Sports Golazo for free.

Weather

During the day, there will be rain, but it should taper off early in the match.  When it does, it will remain cloudy and around 59 degrees.  Winds will be around 12 mph, give or take, and the humidity will remain high at over 80%.

Injury report

There is no injury report for the match, but Drew Baiera (leg), Talles Magno (leg), Alonso Martínez (leg), Max Murray (leg), Aiden O’Neill (leg), and Kevin O’Toole (leg) were all out for the Hudson River Derby.  Additionally, Moralez can be added to the list.

Players to watch

Hannes Wolf is the player to watch for NYCFC.  The winger was brilliant when he scored his hat-trick against the Crew in MLS, scoring goals that some would argue he should be scoring.  The question is whether he can do it again against the same team, or even score once.  Wolf has not been consistent in his play since his first day with the Queens side, and it would be helpful for that to change.

While Diego Rossi has not played as he has in the past, the Columbus player is still one to watch as well.  He has five goals in MLS, and can easily cause problems where he can disrupt the defense.

Prediction

It is the right time to be positive and believe that the Pigeons will go where no Pigeon has gone before.  NYCFC will win 2-0 against the Columbus Crew, securing a spot in the Open Cup semifinals for the first time in club history.