MLS: Clinical Crew Dispatch Richmond Kickers to Secure Round of 16 Berth

Staff Writer
7 days ago
2 min read

NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com

RICHMOND, Va. — The Columbus Crew began their 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup journey with a professional 3-0 victory over the Richmond Kickers at City Stadium on Wednesday night. Relying on a heavily rotated lineup, the Black & Gold showcased their organizational depth to dismantle the USL League One side and advance to the next round.

With the win, the Crew improves their all-time tournament record to 23-14-13 since 1998 and maintains a dominant 3-1-0 historical advantage over the Kickers.

Picard’s Brace Leads the Way

Midfielder Hugo Picard was the standout performer of the evening, netting his first two goals for the club. Picard broke the deadlock in the 41st minute, finishing a service from defender Andrés Herrera, who recorded his second assist of the season across all competitions.

Picard doubled the lead in the 63rd minute, latching onto a lobbed through-ball from Amar Sejdic. The assist marked Sejdic’s first in Open Cup play for the Crew on a night where he donned the captain’s armband for the first time in his career.

First-Team Milestones

The third and final goal came in the 74th minute from forward Jamal Thiaré. Making his first start for the club, Thiaré opened his scoring account by converting a pass from defender Cesar Ruvalcaba, who earned his first career assist for the Black & Gold.

The match also featured several significant debuts and first starts:

Homegrown Highlights: Defender Owen Presthus and forward Chase Adams both made their competitive First Team debuts as second-half substitutes. Defender Tristan Brown earned his first start in his seventh appearance for the club.
New Faces: Midfielder Sekou Bangoura and forward Nariman Akhundzada both earned their first starts for Columbus.
The Shutout: Goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen recorded the clean sheet, his third for the club across three different competitions (MLS Regular Season, Leagues Cup, and U.S. Open Cup).

Match Summary: Kickers vs. Crew

Stat	Richmond Kickers	Columbus Crew
Score	0	3
Goals	—	Picard (41', 63'), Thiaré (74')
Possession	29.6%	70.4%
Shots	8	14

Looking Ahead: Round of 16

The Crew’s victory sets up a compelling clash in the next round. Columbus is set to host One Knoxville SC—the lone USL League One representative remaining in the field—on April 28 or 29 at Lower.com Field.

Before the cup run continues, the Black & Gold will return to MLS regular-season action this Saturday, April 18, traveling to Foxborough to face the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. ET.