Columbus Crew SC vs. Colorado Rapids | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Columbus Crew SC vs. Colorado Rapids
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 30
MAPFRE Stadium — Columbus
Sept. 22 — 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Columbus Crew SC look to create some separation from the Philadelphia Union and put pressure on third-place New York City FC when they take on the slumping Colorado Rapids Saturday night at MAPFRE Stadium.

Columbus are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Portland Timbers on Wednesday, their second defeat in the last eight games, while the Rapids have lost four straight games following a 3-0 home defeat to Atlanta United on the weekend.

Crew SC and the Rapids have split the last four matches, one win and two draws each, per Opta.

Columbus Crew SC

In a second straight road game against a Western Conference opponent, Columbus (12-9-8) dropped a 3-2 decision to the Timbers at Providence Park Wednesday night.

Niko Hansen put Columbus in front on seven minutes, but the lead was short lived. David Guzman leveled in the 18th minute and Andy Polo put the hosts in front with a sensational goal in the 37th minute. An own goal by Lalas Abubakar gave the Timbers a 3-1 lead before Hansen struck for his second in stoppage time.

“I think in general the guys didn’t give up. And I think that’s important,” Gregg Berhalter said. “I think the start of the game was excellent. I think we fell short in some key areas of the match that ended up hurting us, and there were some chances that we could’ve finished that we didn’t. But overall I think that the spirit of the guys is what I’m proud of. Our goal right now is to regroup and focus on the game on Saturday.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Artur, M - Federico Higuain
International duty: None
Injury Report: None

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Zack Steffen — Harrison Afful, Jonathan Mensah, Lalas Abubakar, Milton Valenzuela — Wil Trapp, Artur — Pedro Santos, Federico Higuain, Justin Meram — Gyasi Zardes

Notes: Hansen’s brace on Wednesday equalled his career total from his first 30 league appearances. … Columbus has won each of their last four games at home. They have not won five straight home games since a seven-game winning streak in 2014.

Colorado Rapids

It’s now 368 scoreless minutes for Colorado (6-16-6), which fell to Atlanta United, 3-0, at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday.

Miguel Almiron struck for a brace inside the opening 20 minutes to give the Five Stripes a commanding early lead and Hector Villalba added a third goal in the 37th minute as Atlanta cruised to a commanding win.

“We’re not going to lie. I think the staff and players are disappointed. However underneath the disappointment of recent results, everyone is incredible convinced by how we’re approaching recent games,” Anthony Hudson said. “Confident that we’re definitely working in the right way. I seem to think it’s sort of been the story of the season that it’s just the final part, the final third we need to get right”

Suspended: D - Kortne Ford
Suspended after next caution: M - Johan Blomberg, F - Jack McBean, D - Danny Wilson
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Axel Sjoberg (knee injury); QUESTIONABLE: F - Yannick Boli (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-1-2, right to left)
GK: Tim Howard — Marlon Hairston, Danny Wilson, Tommy Smith, Edgar Castillo — Bismark Boateng, Jack Price, Dillon Serna — Kellyn Acosta — Sam Nicholson, Giles Barnes

Notes: Since his debut with the Rapids, Kellyn Acosta is tied for the tied lead in chances created (seven) and is tied for second in shots (seven). … Colorado is winless in their last four games, getting outscored 13-0 over that span. Their four-game streak without a goal is their longest since 2014, when they went six games without one.

All-Time Series

Overall: Columbus Crew SC 12 wins, 49 goals … Colorado Rapids 19 wins, 57 goals … 10 draws
At Columbus: Crew SC 8 wins, 32 goals … Rapids 7 wins, 31 goals … 5 draws
Last meeting at Columbus: Columbus Crew SC 1, Colorado Rapids 1 (May 14, 2016)