Columbus Crew SC vs. New York City FC | 2020 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 19
Columbus Crew SC vs. New York City FC
MAPFRE Stadium – Columbus
October 18 – 6:00 PM ET

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

LOCAL TV: YES, FOX Sports Ohio

Columbus Crew SC will look to snap a winless streak that's now four matches when they host an NYCFC squad coming off a well-earned draw at Orlando City SC when the Eastern Conference squads square off at MAPFRE Stadium Sunday evening.

Crew SC (9W-4L-4D) are coming off their first Hell is Real defeat on Wednesday, while NYCFC (8W-7L-3D) battled Orlando City SC to a 1-1 draw at Exploria Stadium.

This is the third meeting this season, with both teams winning 1-0 at home. In fact that's been the scoreline in the last three encounters with the home team winning each time.

Columbus Crew SC

With their last win nearly a month ago, the Crew are suddenly struggling. They've lost three of their last four matches, which includes a 2-1 road defeat to FC Cincinnati Wednesday. It led to a post-match apology from coach Caleb Porter.

Crew coach Caleb Porter said he expects a "spicy game" during his preview press conference, especially as both teams deal with injuries and seek an important win.

"I think it's going to be a spicy game because I think they're a team that's good enough to be competing for things at the end," Porter said, "and I believe that we are as well once we get out of this rut."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Vito Wormgoor (D) - ankle injury
- OUT: Darlington Nagbe (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Waylon Francis (D) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Lucas Zelarayan (M) - hamstring strain
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None

New York City FC

On a day the club announced midfielder James Sands was out indefinitely with a fractured foot, NYCFC rallied to earn a 1-1 draw with red-hot Orlando City SC Wednesday night at Exploria Stadium. Keaton Parks scored the equalizer for NYCFC, which expects to welcome Maxi Moralez back to the lineup against Columbus.

Deila was still sorting whether the Argentine would start or appear as a substitute, though he’s officially recovered from a knee injury that’s forced him to miss the club’s last seven games.

“He will have an impact in the game, and we just have to see how much it’s going to be,” Delia said in a video conference call Saturday. “Then of course we have to build him up and look at him in the game and see how he’s doing.”

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Gedion Zelalem (M) - knee injury
- OUT: Tayvon Gray (D) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Heber (F) - ACL injury
- OUT: James Sands (M) - fractured right foot
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: Maxime Chanot (D), Valentin Castellanos (F)
International duty: None