St. Louis goalkeeper Bürki alert after head injury in US Open Cup final

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Bürki was alert and in good spirits on Thursday after being stretchered off from the U.S. Open Cup final the night before, the team said.

Bürki took a knee to the head while making a save late in the second half of regulation. St. Louis went on to beat the Columbus Crew in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw.

Bürki was taken to a local hospital with a head injury for evaluation and testing, the team said in a statement on Thursday morning.

“He is currently alert and in good spirits. The club’s medical staff will continue to monitor his condition, and the team will provide additional updates as they become available,” the statement said.

Backup goalkeeper Ben Lundt took over for St. Louis, making a key save in the shootout to give the team its first-ever trophy. As the team celebrated, players held a Bürki jersey in his honor.

The potential loss of Bürki comes as St. Louis City prepares for the playoffs with four games remaining in the regular season.

St. Louis surged up the MLS Western Conference standings with a 21-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. The run ended this past weekend with a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota United.

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