COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Crew are headed back to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final after defeating Orlando City SC 2-1 Tuesday night in the semifinal round. Brais Mendez scored the go-ahead goal in the 52nd minute, finishing a move set up by Santi Rodriguez. The goal was Mendez’s first in four matches and gave Columbus a lead it held through the rest of the game. The Crew opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Josef Martinez converted a corner-kick opportunity with his left foot, scoring his first goal since joining Columbus last month. Rodriguez delivered the ball into the penalty area after helping initiate the set piece. Orlando pulled level shortly before halftime. In the 40th minute, Justin Ellis found Martin Ojeda near the top of the box, and Ojeda fired a shot past Columbus goalkeeper Nicolas Hagen. Hagen made four saves overall. Mendez and Rodriguez were among the designated players added to the Crew roster midway through the season. Since making his Columbus debut Aug. 1, Mendez has recorded eight goal contributions in 13 appearances across all competitions. Columbus will host the U.S. Open Cup final Oct. 21. The Crew’s opponent will be either Colorado or St. Louis, which are scheduled to meet in the other semifinal Wednesday night. The championship appearance gives Columbus a chance to claim its first U.S. Open Cup title since 2002, even as the club navigates a difficult MLS season. The Crew return to league play Saturday with a road match against Montreal.