Young Crew Players Shine in U.S. Open Cup Victory Over Richmond Kickers

Columbus Crew's rotated lineup secures 3-0 road win to advance in tournament

Apr. 16, 2026 at 11:22am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic action of a soccer match, with overlapping planes of yellow, black, red, and white representing the players and movement on the field.The Columbus Crew's young players showcase their talent and teamwork in a decisive U.S. Open Cup victory over the Richmond Kickers.Columbus Today

The Columbus Crew relied on a heavily rotated starting lineup featuring several young players to secure a 3-0 road victory over the USL's Richmond Kickers in the U.S. Open Cup round of 32. Forward Hugo Picard scored two goals, while Jamal Thiare added another, as the Crew controlled possession and limited the Kickers' scoring chances.

Why it matters

The Crew's ability to win convincingly with a lineup of less experienced players demonstrates the team's depth and development of young talent. This result sets up a round of 16 matchup against USL's One Knoxville SC, providing more opportunities for the Crew's young core to gain valuable cup competition experience.

The details

Despite the heavily rotated lineup, the Crew recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory over the Richmond Kickers. Forward Hugo Picard scored two goals, including one in the 41st minute and another in the 63rd minute, while Jamal Thiare added a goal in the 73rd minute. The Crew dominated possession, limiting the Kickers to just eight shots and a 29.6% possession rate.

  • The match took place on April 15, 2026.
  • The Crew will face One Knoxville SC in the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 on April 28 or 29, 2026.

The players

Hugo Picard

A 22-year-old forward who scored two goals for the Crew in the match, marking his first goals since joining the team in July 2025.

Jamal Thiare

A Crew forward who scored the team's third goal in the 73rd minute.

Andres Herrera

A Crew midfielder who provided experience and stability to the backline, helping the young defenders and goalkeeper in their first game under coach Henrik Rydstrom.

Cesar Ruvalcaba

A 24-year-old Crew defender making his 2026 debut, who impressed coach Rydstrom with his readiness and ability to handle the limited attacking opportunities from the Kickers.

Henrik Rydstrom

The Crew's head coach, who was pleased with the team's mature performance and the opportunity for young players to gain competitive experience.

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What they’re saying

“I'm quite happy with the performance overall. When you play these kind of games, you play against a team that just thinks that every situation is amazing. If you take that into consideration, I'm quite happy with how mature we acted in the game. It was also a possibility for a lot of players to play a competitive game.”

— Henrik Rydstrom, Crew Head Coach

“We came out, we played good quality football and we finished with a good result. A shutout and we got a couple of goal scorers for the first time in the Crew jersey. That's always a great thing.”

— Amar Sejdic, Crew Midfielder

“He took advantage of his skills. I think he grew into the game. The opponent also got tired, so it was good. For Hugo, he has to keep on being clinical, be pragmatic and score the third goal, the fourth goal. He could have done that.”

— Henrik Rydstrom, Crew Head Coach

“When there was the opportunity to defend, it was making sure that they don't get anything out of it. I thought pretty much for the whole game we handled a lot of situations well. We made sure that they didn't get much, and I think it reflected in the score line.”

— Cesar Ruvalcaba, Crew Defender

What’s next

The Crew will face USL's One Knoxville SC in the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 on April 28 or 29, 2026, providing another opportunity for the team's young players to gain valuable cup competition experience.

The takeaway

The Crew's ability to secure a convincing 3-0 victory over the Richmond Kickers with a heavily rotated lineup showcases the depth and development of their young talent. This result sets up an intriguing round of 16 matchup against One Knoxville SC, where the Crew's young core can continue to prove their mettle in the U.S. Open Cup.