For the first time since 2019, the Columbus Crew and Los Angeles FC will clash in a Major League Soccer match on Saturday at Lower.com Field.
These sides have met three times previously, with the Black and Gold winning each of those contests by a combined score of 5-0.
Match preview
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It has been another difficult regular season start for the Crew in 2022, earning 13 points after 11 games, their lowest total at this stage of the competition since 2019.
Caleb Porter and his team find themselves outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, two points behind Atlanta United, though they have not missed the postseason in back-to-back campaigns since 2012 and 2013.
Nine of their 13 points have come at Lower.com Field, where they appear to be a lot more comfortable, having failed to score in three of their six road fixtures so far this year.
Throughout the season, this team have had a hard time creating much in the middle of the field and are lacking some dynamic vision and movement out wide.
Defensively these players have been relatively robust and sharp on their home field, conceding a goal or fewer on four occasions, with two clean sheets.
There is not a ton of fluidity in their movement and passing, with the Crew looking somewhat easy to defend and stagnant from open play.
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Over a domestic campaign, things have a way of evening themselves out, which seems to be the case right now with Los Angeles FC.
This month, Steve Cherundolo has not been pleased with their performances as they have dropped consecutive games for the first time all season, losing at home for the first time on Wednesday against Austin FC (2-1).
They have had to dig themselves out of numerous early deficits away from home this year, conceding first in their previous three road fixtures and losing twice.
As an attacking and possession-based squad, this is a team capable of creating their share of chances, though at the moment, they are missing that precision in the final third, scoring just a single goal in their previous two fixtures despite firing nine efforts on target.
LA have yet to lose a game in 2022 when drawing first blood, though they have only managed to do that on four occasions all season.
The Black and Gold have not lost a regular-season meeting with an Eastern Conference side since August 2021 and are unbeaten against those teams in 2022.
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Team News
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Kevin Molino remains out for Columbus because of a right knee injury, Marlon Hairston is suffering from a sore right thigh and Steven Moreira returned to the lineup in their last game after missing time previously with a left thigh problem.
Leading goalscorer Lucas Zelarayan has not found the back of the net since March 12, when they defeated Toronto by a score of 2-1.
In their 2-2 draw against the New England Revolution, Miguel Berry tallied his second of the campaign, while Erik Hurtado notched his first, which held up as the equaliser in that contest.
Porter made a couple of changes to his starting 11 against The Pigeons as Zelarayan and Moreira started in place of Aidan Morris and Yaw Yeboah.
On Wednesday, Carlos Vela notched his first strike for LAFC in MLS play since March, though it was too little too late as his team squandered first-place in the Western Conference to the Verde and Black.
Ryan Hollingshead missed their midweek encounter through injury (knee), as did Eddie Segura (right knee), Erik Duenas (left knee), Julian Gaines (pelvis), Ismael Tajouri-Shradi (left quad) and Franco Escobar (left calf).
Brian Rodriguez came on as a second-half substitute, replacing Kwadwo Opoku, while Doneil Henry was on the bench and Jesus Murillo was added to the backline, replacing Mamadou Fall.
Columbus Crew possible starting lineup:
Room; Santos, Williams, Mensah, Moreira; Diaz, Artur; Zelarayan, Yeboah, Etienne; Berry
Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Crepeau; Murillo, Fall, Ibeagha, Palacios; Sanchez; Ginella, Musovski, Cifuentes; Jennings, Vela
We say: Columbus Crew 0-2 Los Angeles FC
Both of these teams have struggled this month, but Los Angeles have found ways to earn points numerous times this year, while the Crew appear to be stuck in a predictable playing pattern, failing to find many solutions.
For additional data used by our team to analyse our suggested result please click here.
