New England Revs vs Columbus Crew: MLS Preview: Predictions, team news, lineups, and more | OneFootball

The Columbus Crew know how to handle business on the road, but with a massive midweek clash looming, Wilfried Nancy will have some decisions to make when they take on the New England Revolution in Foxborough on Saturday.

Columbus opens its Concacaf Champions Cup campaign on Tuesday with a Round of 16 first-leg showdown against LAFC, meaning squad rotation could come into play. Nancy has never been one to hold his team back, but with a deep tournament run in sight, he’ll have to balance keeping legs fresh while still pushing for points in MLS play.

Even with potential changes, the Crew enter confident after last week’s 4-2 Crewsmas win and a club-record nine away with 34 goals on the road, quite the turnaround for a team that used to have one of the worst away records in the league. They’ve made it clear, road games aren’t something to endure, they’re opportunities to win.

A look at the host

New England, meanwhile, is still searching for its first victory after a 0-0 draw at Nashville. Last season was rough, they finished 26th overall and missed the playoffs, but defensive reinforcements like Brayan Ceballos and Mamadou Fofana have already made an impact. Ceballos, signed from Fortaleza in Brazil, even earned a spot in the MLS Team of the Matchday in his debut.

The Revs will need that defensive stability against Diego Rossi, who bagged a brace against Chicago. He’s not worried about filling the shoes of Cucho Hernández and Christian Ramírez—27 goals and 20 assists between them last year, but early signs suggest he’s more than ready to lead the attack.

New England hasn’t beaten Columbus since May 16th 2021, and with the Crew’s road form and attacking firepower, it won’t be easy to change that now.

Columbus Crew team news

Wilfried Nancy confirmed that Lassi Lappalainen and Taha Habroune are back in full training, while Rudy Camacho is still limited. All three had been on the availability report with thigh injuries

Predicted Crew XI

Schulte; Moreira, Cheberko, Amundsen; Farsi, Zawadzki, Nagbe, Arfsten; Chambost, Rossi; Russell-Rowe

I’m pretty much predicting the same Crew starting lineup that beat Chicago on opening matchday, but with the Concacaf Champions Cup tie against LAFC at BMO Stadium just a few days away, it’s important to keep the bigger picture in mind. The best move here is to kill off the game early and rotate the squad where necessary. I’m not saying to use the exact lineup against LAFC, but we need to ensure that most of the starters get on the field without burning out too early. This approach is similar to how the Crew handled things last year in the same stage of the competition against Houston Dynamo, where there was just a slight rotation to manage the workload while still getting the job done.

Score prediction

I don’t expect a blowout like we saw the last time Columbus traveled to Massachusetts, but I’m predicting a 3-1 win for the Crew. Hopefully, we’ll see a stronger defensive performance, though I still think they’ll concede once. Going forward, the Crew have more than enough firepower to find the back of the net, with Diego Rossi undoubtedly leading the charge. The beauty of “Nancy Ball” is how well the team clicks together, bringing out the best in each player. I’m backing Rossi to grab another goal, and who knows, maybe we’ll even see a DeJuan Jones goal against his former club. I also anticipate Dylan Chambost creating most of the chances. Let’s go Crew!