Josef Martinez insisted Columbus Crew's full focus is on their clash with CF Montreal in MLS this weekend, after securing their spot in the US Open Cup final.
Columbus booked their spot in the US Open Cup final for the first time since 2010 in midweek, beating Orlando City SC 2-1 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.
Martinez's ninth-minute opener was cancelled out by Martin Ojeda just before the break, only for Brais Mendez to seal the Crew's progression seven minutes after the restart.
St. Louis City SC will be their opponents in the showpiece match on October 21, though Columbus will want to improve their fortunes in MLS leading up to that match.
Columbus are 13th in the Eastern Conference and nine points adrift of the playoffs, having won just one of their last eight league matches (D1 L6).
"We know this is the way we have to play," Martinez said after the Crew's cup win.
"Obviously, we have bad games and a good game, but this is the way we have to compete. It's my opinion.
"We don't care about the win or a loss, but we have to fight. It is a great day for us, because it is a big result. Now, we have to think about Montreal."
Columbus interim boss Laurent Courtois echoed Martinez's comments, but he is hoping to produce a landmark moment for the club next month.
"For me personally, it's really a special moment," said Courtois. "I hope we will make it a special moment for the club, but we have a lot of games before."
ON EST EN FINALE
— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) September 17, 2026
ON TO THE FINAL #CFMTL pic.twitter.com/BiVyAjRvZI
Another team who booked their spot in a final in midweek was Montreal, who defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-2 on aggregate after a 2-1 triumph in the second leg.
Prince Owusu's first-half double was enough to seal the win and a spot in the Canadian Championship final, where they will take on Forge FC on October 21.
It is the first time since 2021 that Montreal have reached the final, having won that edition before Vancouver embarked on a four-year title-winning run.
"Before the game, I had a pretty short speech. I looked around, and every player was ready," Owusu said. "That was also my speech; I said, 'We're ready, let's get it'.
"We wanted it more. We were ready to go over our limits, and the team who went over their limits won. It wasn't really about quality."
Philippe Eullaffroy's side are at the bottom of the East ahead of their trip to Columbus, and the interim Montreal boss wants his team to be more clinical in the final third, having had several chances to put the tie beyond Vancouver in the second leg.
"It feels good to have that efficiency, despite not having as many opportunities as we're used to," said Eullaffroy. "We could have been even more efficient though.
"I told [Owusu] that I was upset with him because I wanted him to score three."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Montreal – Prince Owusu
Owusu has scored in each of his last three home matches, finding the net against the New England Revolution, D.C. United and the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Four players in Montreal's MLS history have scored in four consecutive regular-season home matches, with only one, Caden Clark in 2024, doing so in the last nine seasons.
PRINCE OWUSU ENCORE LUI
— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) September 16, 2026
Prince makes it a two-goal lead at Stade Saputo
CF Montréal - Vancouver Whitecaps FC#CFMTL pic.twitter.com/ymouoU265P
Columbus Crew – Gonzalo Tapia
Despite not getting on the scoresheet, Tapia looked like Columbus' most dangerous attacking player during their defeat to the New York Red Bulls last time out in MLS.
Tapia finished with team-high totals for shots (four), touches in the opposition box (six) and aerial duels won (two), though Columbus will need him firing here.
MATCH PREDICTION: MONTREAL WIN
Montreal snapped a seven-match winless run against Columbus with a 2-1 away victory on August 19. They have recorded multiple wins over the Crew in a single regular season only once, doing so in 2015 before being knocked out by them in that year's playoffs.
After losing three of its previous 11 regular-season matches, Montreal have lost four in a row in league play. In fact, Montreal have only managed one win in their last 14 regular-season matches, a 2-1 road victory over Columbus on August 19.
Columbus, meanwhile, are winless in eight straight regular-season away matches (D2 L6), including losing the last three straight. They have not lost four straight on the road in league play in five years, last doing so during a five-match losing run between July and September 2021.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Montreal – 40.1%
Draw – 24%
Columbus Crew – 35.9%