WIKI FOOTBALL previews Monday’s Major League Soccer conflict between Nashville SC and Columbus Crew, together with predictions, staff information and attainable lineups.
Matchday 15 of the Major League Soccer marketing campaign wraps up on Sunday when Nashville SC welcome the Columbus Crew to GEODIS Park for the primary time.
A six-match league unbeaten run for the Boys in Gold has moved them as much as second within the Eastern Conference, after edging Charlotte FC 2-1 final weekend, whereas the Crew are holding onto a wildcard spot regardless of dropping 3-2 at FC Cincinnati in its earlier home affair.
Match preview
Nashville head into its remaining match this month in wonderful type domestically and searching as sharp defensively as we bear in mind from seasons previous.
Unsurprisingly they’ve conceded fewer objectives than any MLS facet in 2023 up to now (9), solely permitting a number of strikes in a league fixture as soon as all 12 months.
That stingy play, together with the person high quality of Hany Mukhtar, has been their recipe for achievement since getting into the league in 2020, and that components has served them nicely once more this 12 months, with the reigning MLS MVP scoring practically half of their objectives thus far within the common season (8/19).
Coming into this contest, they’ve solely suffered one defeat within the Music City versus Eastern Conference opponents this 12 months, conceding a purpose or fewer on every event.
Gary Smith‘s facet have been knocked out of the US Open Cup on Tuesday, conceding a pair of second-half objectives at Inter Miami in a 2-1 defeat, their third away from dwelling in all competitions this season.
They captured their first victory versus the Crew in 2022, defeating them in Columbus 1-0, whereas they drew their solely dwelling game in opposition to them in 2021 (1-1) when the Boys in Gold performed at Nissan Stadium.
In the eleventh Hell is Real derby final weekend, probably the most hellacious a part of Columbus’ efficiency was their defending, conceding no less than three objectives in a match for the second time this 12 months.
Three of the subsequent 5 league games for Wilfried Nancy‘s males will likely be away from dwelling, the place 4 of their 5 defeats have transpired.
Columbus have dropped six factors on the street this season when scoring the opening purpose, factors which might have them as much as third within the Eastern Conference quite than the place they presently sit, in eighth.
While there are a few standouts on this staff’s assault, the Crew have been rather more balanced beneath Nancy, as 13 players have no less than one purpose, and 9 have one purpose involvement or extra.
On Wednesday on the US Open Cup, this staff had 75% of the possession however couldn’t discover a approach by way of the opposition’s backline, falling 1-0 to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds within the Round of 16.
The Crew haven’t gained a match all 12 months when conceding a number of occasions, and are with out a victory when falling behind 1-0 since August of the 2022 marketing campaign after they edged New York City FC 3-2.
Nashville SC Major League Soccer type:
Nashville SC type (all competitions):
Columbus Crew Major League Soccer type:
Columbus Crew type (all competitions):
Team News
Walker Zimmerman will likely be questionable for Nashville this weekend due to a lower-body harm, which might additionally maintain Nick DePuy on the sidelines.
Mukhtar had a brace of their earlier MLS encounter, Sean Davis picked up his first help of the 12 months, Jack Maher led the staff in duels gained (eight), Teal Bunbury made his 351st profession regular-season look and Joe Willis stopped six photographs, placing him as much as 45 saves this season.
In their US Open Cup exit earlier this week, Alex Muyl had their solely purpose, his third in all competitions, Jacob Shaffelburg, Randall Leal and Luke Haakenson led the best way for them in photographs (three), whereas Josh Bauer had a team-high for clearances (4) and interceptions (5).
Josh Williams and Milos Degenek are nursing ankle points for the Crew, Will Sands, Eloy Room and Kevin Molino all have knee accidents, whereas Luis Diaz won’t be obtainable due to a sore again.
For a second successive league contest, Lucas Zelarayan and Malte Amundsen have been the lone Columbus players to search out the again of the online final weekend, as they’re as much as six and two objectives, respectively, over the 2023 marketing campaign.
After failing to search out the scoresheet final 12 months, the Crew have seen some good bounce-back performances from Aidan Morris and Jacen Russell-Rowe, who’ve three and two objectives respectively within the common season.
Nashville SC attainable beginning lineup:
Willis; Moore, MacNaughton, Maher, Lovitz; McCarty; Muyl, Davis, Godoy; Mukhtar, Shaffelburg
Columbus Crew attainable beginning lineup:
Schulte; Moreira, Quinton, Vallecilla; Farsi, Morris, Nagbe, Amundsen; Zelarayan, Hernandez, Russell-Rowe
We say: Nashville SC 1-0 Columbus Crew
The Boys in Gold are so organised and well-balanced defensively that even with out a world centre-back like Zimmerman, they appear equally sharp and resolute.
Columbus have their share of high quality and creativity, nonetheless, given the type of Mukhtar and the way clever Nashville are alongside the again finish, we anticipate them to carry the Crew in examine this weekend.
How to look at
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