In a game featuring two undefeated MLS sides, the Columbus Crew will host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday at Lower.com Field.
A goal deep into stoppage time lifted the reigning MLS Cup champions to a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire last weekend, while New York edged Dallas 2-1.
Match preview
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Three matches into the new campaign, and the Crew are showing no signs of a championship hangover that we traditionally see from teams coming into a new campaign after lifting the trophy.
Since the end of 2023, the Crew have collected points in nine successive regular season affairs while failing to score in only one of their last 28 matches in this competition (a 2-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo in August 2023).
Wilfried Nancy has seen a much tidier performance from his team on the back end this year, conceding a goal or fewer in four competitive fixtures.
Columbus have won six of their last seven regular season affairs on home soil, claiming at least a point in 14 successive matches in this competition at Lower.com Field.
Even with the additional games from the CONCACAF Champions Cup (CCC), the Crew are still finding a way to earn results, advancing into the last eight of that competition earlier this week after playing to a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo, winning that tie 2-1 on aggregate.
They are unbeaten in their last four MLS home outings against New York-based clubs and have not lost at Lower.com Field in this competition versus New York City FC or the Red Bulls in each of the previous two regular seasons.
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A poor start to the 2023 domestic campaign put the Red Bulls in their share of must-win situations down the stretch of the regular season.
While they ultimately extended their playoff run to an MLS record 14th successive season, they seem intent on not leaving it so late in 2024.
The Red Bulls will enter this contest on a six-game unbeaten run away from home in MLS play, winning four of those encounters outside Red Bull Arena.
At this stage of the domestic campaign, Sandro Schwarz has seen his players execute the Red Bulls style of hanging back with constant pressing to near perfection, making the most of their opportunities going forward, scoring multiple goals on successive occasions for the first time since October 2023.
New York have only been behind in one of their last six regular season affairs and have not lost away from home in this competition since matchday 27 in 2023 (4-1 versus the Philadelphia Union).
They have lost their last two visits to Columbus at Lower.com Field, winning only once at that venue, 2-1 during the 2021 campaign.
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Team News
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Alexandru Matan sat out of the previous domestic encounter for the Crew, and the Romanian could miss this one due to a thigh injury.
From their second to third MLS encounter, Nancy made two changes to his starting 11, with Sean Zawadzki and Marino Hinestroza coming into the lineup versus the Fire in place of Matan and Steven Moreira.
Jacen Russell-Rowe scored his first of the domestic campaign last weekend, as did fellow Canadian Mohamed Farsi, who netted the winner in the 10th minute of stoppage time.
Dante Vanzeir will be questionable for the Red Bulls on Saturday with a hamstring strain, and Peter Stroud could be a game-time decision due to a shoulder issue.
Curtis Ofori has a sore ankle, Serge Ngoma is still suffering from hamstring pain and Ryan Meara is doubtful because of a groin injury.
Emil Forsberg scored his first career MLS goal last Saturday, converting a 30th-minute penalty, while Lewis Morgan netted the winner for a second match running.
Columbus Crew possible starting lineup:
Schulte; Moreira, Camacho, Amundsen; Farsi, Morris, Nagbe, Yeboah; Rossi, Russell-Rowe; Hernandez
New York Red Bulls possible starting lineup:
Coronel; D. Nealis, S. Nealis, Eile, Tolkin; Edelman, Amaya; Carmona, Forsberg, Morgan; Manoel
We say: Columbus Crew 2-1 New York Red Bulls
Nancy is among the best coaches in MLS, and we believe he will find a creative way to get through a resolute Red Bulls defence who have yet to face an attacking unit with the kind of potency that Columbus possesses.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
