On Sunday, we will discover the final team that will participate in the semi-final round of the MLS Cup playoffs when the Columbus Crew host Atlanta United in game three of that series from Lower.com Field.
Earlier this week, the Five Stripes evened the series at one with a 4-2 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, setting the stage for this decisive fixture.
Match preview
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Throughout the 2023 MLS campaign, the Crew have been unstable along the back end, and they were exploited often on Tuesday, conceding as many goals in that encounter as they had allowed in their previous five matches combined.
It is back to square one for Wilfried Nancy's men, who have not lost consecutive MLS fixtures since May, when they were beaten by FC Cincinnati (3-2) and Nashville SC (3-1).
They will be relieved to know that this decisive match takes place at Lower.com Field, where the Crew are unbeaten in their last 13 league fixtures, including a 2-0 win over Atlanta in the opening game of this series.
That victory at the beginning of November was the first-ever playoff match at Lower.com Field, where Columbus have been a lot tidier defensively, posting seven clean sheets at home in the 2023 regular season.
Columbus were the highest-scoring team in the league during the MLS campaign (67 goals), finding the back of the net in each of their home fixtures, netting multiple times on 14 occasions in the regular season and playoffs.
This team have never lost a domestic contest all season when leading at the half, coming away with a victory in 10 of those 11 fixtures.
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Once again, the Atlanta attack was their saving grace at home on Tuesday, as this team have scored three or more goals eight times at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the 2023 domestic campaign.
However, the Five Stripes will enter this game on a five-match winless run away from home versus MLS opponents, while they have not triumphed on the road in the playoffs since 2018 (1-0 over New York City FC).
Gonzalo Pineda's men have conceded at least one goal domestically in 14 away matches in the regular season and playoffs this year, allowing multiple strikes 11 times.
Atlanta United have lost each of their playoff fixtures in which they have conceded the opening goal, while only suffering one defeat in the post-season when drawing first blood (2-1 versus Toronto in 2019).
In their previous seven visits to Columbus at either Lower.com Field or Historic Crew Stadium, the Five Stripes have conceded 18 goals.
Should they emerge victorious on Sunday, it would be the first time they advance beyond the opening round of the playoffs since making it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019 before losing to Toronto (2-1).
Team News
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The Crew will be without Will Sands for this match as he continues to recover from a knee injury, while Yaw Yeboah replaced Sean Zawadzki in game two after the home-grown midfielder sustained a knock, putting his status in doubt for this match.
Cucho Hernandez has 13 goals in his last 10 matches across all competitions, while Max Arfsten notched his first strike of the post-season deep into stoppage time.
Patrick Schulte has conceded a goal or fewer in his last nine MLS home games, and Diego Rossi has a goal contribution in each of their playoff contests.
Machop Chol will not be available for Atlanta due to a hamstring strain, while Ajani Fortune came on for Matheus Rossetto in the second half after the Brazilian suffered a calf injury on Tuesday.
Giorgos Giakoumakis scored his first career playoff goal in their game two triumph, Xande Silva notched the winner near the end of the opening half, with Edwin Mosquera also netting and Thiago Almada adding a fourth in his first match back from suspension.
The last time Atlanta earned a positive result at Columbus, Santiago Sosa and Juanjo Purata scored in a 2-2 draw last season.
Columbus Crew possible starting lineup:
Schulte; Moreira, Camacho, Amundsen; Gressel, Nagbe, Morris, Yeboah; Rossi, Hernandez, Ramirez
Atlanta United possible starting lineup:
Guzan; Lennon, Robinson, Abram, Wiley; Rossetto, Muyumba; Mosquera, Almada, Silva; Giakoumakis
We say: Columbus Crew 2-0 Atlanta United
While they could not get the job done in game two, the Crew seem to be a lot more comfortable defensively at home, and we believe that raucous crowd and the scoring form of Cucho will propel them into the next round.
How to watch
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