Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s Major League Soccer clash between Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Seeking to snap their seven-match winless run, Chicago Fire journey to Lower.com Field to go head to head with Columbus Crew in the MLS on Thursday morning.
Wilfried Nancy’s men head into the game on a run of 13 straight MLS home games without defeat against the visiting side since June 2103 and will look to continue in the same vein.
Match preview
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Columbus Crew were left spitting feathers at the Exploria Stadium Sunday morning they suffered a 4-3 defeat against Orlando City after bottling a two-goal lead in the final 18 minutes minutes of the game.
In an action-packed contest, goals from Julian Gressel, Diego Rossi and Cucho Hernandez put the Crew in a commanding 3-1 lead but a brace from Ramiro Enrique and Facundo Torres’s 73rd-minute strike helped the Lions dramatically turn the game on its head.
Columbus have now lost two of their last three matches — with a 4-2 victory over CF Montreal on September 3 sandwiched between the two defeats — having lost just once in 11 outings preceding that run.
This drop-off in form has been owing to their recent defensive frailties as they have shipped eight goals in the last three games since picking up consecutive clean sheets against FC Cincinnati and Toronto FC respectively back in August.
However, Nancy’s side will be backing themselves to quickly find their feet as they now return home, where they are unbeaten in 13 of their 14 matches this year, claiming 10 wins and three draws so far.
With 45 points from 28 matches, Columbus Crew are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference standings but could potentially rise into third place with all three points on Thursday.
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Chicago Fire, on the other hand, finally stopped the rot as they held on for a goalless draw against Montreal at the Saputo Stadium on Sunday morning.
The Men in Red had Montreal’s wasteful display in front of goal to thank as the hosts squandered multiple clear-cut chances before settling for a share of the spoils.
Prior to that, Frank Klopas’s men were on a dire run of six consecutive defeats across all competitions, including a 1-0 loss against Mexican outfit Club America in their Leagues Cup round-of-32 clash on August 5.
For all their recent struggles, Chicago Fire currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference table, just three points behind Thursday’s hosts and two adrift of the final playoffs qualifier spot.
Columbus Crew Major League Soccer form:
Columbus Crew form (all competitions):
Chicago Fire Major League Soccer form:
CF Montreal form (all competitions):
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Team News
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Columbus Crew will take to the pitch workout 23-year-old forward William Sands, who has been out of action since suffering a knee injury in April’s game against Charlotte FC.
With his goal and assist at the weekend, Hernandez now has 17 goal involvements in 21 league appearances this season and we expect the Columbian forward to lead the Crew’s attack, alongside Alexandru Matan and Rossi.
Chicago Fire will take to the pitch without the midfield duo of Victor Bezerra and
20-year-old Javier Casas, who are currently recuperating from leg and arm injuries respectively.
They are joined on the club’s injury table by fellow midfielder Federico Navarro, who missed Sunday’s game against Montreal through injury, while Carlos Teran has been sidelined through a leg problem.
American forward Chris Mueller picked up a hip problem against Atalanta United back in May, while strike partner Kacper Przybylko is set to sit out his fifth straight game through injury.
Columbus Crew possible starting lineup:
Schulte; Moreira, Camacho, Amundsen; Gressel, Yeboah, Nagbe, Morris; Matan, Hernandez, Rossi
Chicago Fire possible starting lineup:
Brady; Souquet, Pineda, Czichos, Aceves; Doumbia, Gimenez; Herbers, Gutierrez, Haile-Selassie; Kamara
We say: Columbus Crew 3-1 Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire are in for another tough 90 minutes on Thursday as they journey to Lower.com Field, where they have failed to win their last 13 league visits since a 2-1 victory in June 2013. Nancy’s side have been near impenetrable at home since the turn of the year and we see them edging out the Men in Red once again.
How to watch
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Top tip
Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:data
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