Columbus Crew SC vs. FC Cincinnati | 2020 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 10
Columbus Crew SC vs. FC Cincinnati
MAPFRE Stadium – Columbus
September 6 – 7:30 PM ET

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada

LOCAL TV: Star64, SportsTime Ohio

It is the third edition of the Hell is Real Derby in 2020 as Columbus Crew SC host FC Cincinnati Sunday night at MAPFRE Stadium. Crew SC are coming off a big 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Union which moved them atop the Eastern Conference table, while FC Cincinnati played Chicago Fire FC to a 0-0 draw at Nippert Stadium.

Crew SC won the first meeting this season, a 4-0 victory at the MLS is Back Tournament. The teams played to a 0-0 draw at Nippert last Saturday. The teams also played to a 2-2 draw in their only other MAPFRE Stadium encounter with Gyasi Zardes and Pedro Santos erasing a two-goal deficit following first-half goals by Darren Mattocks and Emmanuel Ledesma.

Columbus Crew SC

In a showdown between two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, Crew SC flexed their muscles and beat the Philadelphia Union, 1-0, at MAPFRE Wednesday night. Returning from injury, Lucas Zelarayan scored the lone goal early in the second half, the Crew's first in 244 minutes. It was also another clean sheet for Columbus, which moved into first place in the East with the win.

Now Crew SC seek a second win of the 2020 season against FC Cincinnati to make up for a 0-0 draw in the last meeting.

"We want to take revenge, we want to get the three points," goalkeeper Eloy Room said. "It's nice to play them again quickly. We want to win this game."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Vito Wormgoor (D) - ankle injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None

FC Cincinnati

It was another stout defensive effort, the fifth clean sheet of the season, but FC Cincinnati failed to score for a fourth consecutive game and played Chicago Fire FC to a 0-0 home draw Wednesday night. That was the same scoreline in the last Hell is Real Derby encounter, but FC Cincinnati manager Jaap Stam said his team should have won.

“Every coach can react how they want, but if you look at that game, we had the best chances at the end of the game," Stam said. "We should have won that game. They had more possession, but we gave them that possession.”