Chicago Fire FC’s Dyland Borso fighting off St. Louis City SC’s Tomas Totland in the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Round of 16 contest at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IllinoisCredit: Chicago Fire FC

It’s not an official Major League Soccer match-up, and coming into the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16, there was little expectation for St. Louis to pull off a road win against a team that fighting for the top of the Eastern Conference in the MLS, and it looked like the Chicago Fire were going to eke out a win on Wednesday Night when Anton Saletros scored on the 63rd minute to give his team a 1-0 lead. But goals from St. Louis City’s Tomas Totland and Eduard Löwen in the 71st and 79th minute gave visiting St. Louis a 2-1 triumph to advance to the Open Cup quarterfinal for the first time in franchise history.

Chicago led with more shots and possession in the match, but St. Louis had five on-target efforts to only one for a Chicago side that had two shots go off the post in the first half. Chicago Fire’s Hugo Cuypers fired a shot that hit the offside post, inches away from giving the Fire an early lead in the first 10 minutes of the match.  Viktor Radojević fired a shot in the 42nd minute, but it hit the post. The Fire got on the board in the 63rd minute when Anton Salétros headed the ball into the back of the net to give his side a 1-0 lead, scoring his first goal in a Chicago Fire uniform.

But City SC, who came off a tough loss at home against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday Night, got on the board when Tomas Totland tied the game in the 71st minute off a rebound, making it 1-1. Then Eduard Löwen scored easily from close range to give the visitors the lead for good. The goal by Lowen was an emotional one after he took a leave of absence from St. Louis earlier this season after his wife passed away due to cancer. As of this time, City SC won’t know who their next opponent will be in the U.S. Open, but the victory should give the team more confidence when they play Sunday afternoon in Austin, Texas, against Austin FC.