Four days after a 0-1 home defeat to CF Pachuca in Leagues Cup group stage play, Charlotte return to MLS action at Bank of America Stadium needing a result to firm up their standing in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The loss to the Mexican side was a reality check for Dean Smith’s squad, which had beaten Atlas 2-0 and Pumas 3-0 in their two previous Leagues Cup outings. Now comes a different kind of test: a conference rival in Columbus Crew, sitting 11th in the East with 20 points and plenty of ground to make up if they want to stay in the playoff conversation.
What’s at stake
Charlotte sit seventh in the Eastern Conference with 25 points from 18 matches, right on the playoff line. The top nine teams qualify for the postseason, and with New York Red Bulls level on 25 points just behind them in eighth, and DC United on 23 in ninth, the margin for error is slim. A win Saturday keeps Charlotte clear and puts distance between themselves and the teams directly below. Columbus, in 11th on 20 points, need to start collecting wins in bunches to work their way back into contention. The gap to ninth-placed DC United is three points, which is manageable, but the trend has to change.
For Charlotte, dropping points at home to a side below them in the table would hand ammunition to the clubs nipping at their heels. For Columbus, a road win would cut the gap to the playoff spots and generate some much-needed confidence heading into the back stretch of the regular season. Both sides are aware that a result here moves the needle in opposite directions.
How they got here
Charlotte’s last five results span two competitions and show a team that has been effective but inconsistent. They beat Pumas 3-0 and Atlas 2-0 in Leagues Cup before losing to Pachuca 0-1 on August 11, and their most recent MLS matches produced a 2-0 win at New York Red Bulls and a 1-2 defeat at Chicago Fire in early August. The league form reads LWDWW according to their standings entry, which is positive enough, but the home loss to Pachuca is a reminder that this group can be vulnerable when opponents press them and stay organized. Columbus come in off a 1-1 draw with Pumas in Leagues Cup four days ago, following wins over CF Pachuca 2-1 and Atlas 3-1. In MLS, their last two results were a 2-2 draw at Inter Miami and a 2-1 home win over FC Cincinnati. Interim head coach Laurent Courtois has a squad that can score, having netted 26 goals in 18 league matches, but they have conceded 28, and that defensive record is part of why they sit mid-table.
In the Eastern Conference, Nashville SC lead on 40 points, with Inter Miami second on 38 and New England Revolution third on 30. Charlotte are seventh on 25, five points back of FC Cincinnati and New York City FC in fifth and sixth. Columbus in 11th are five points off the final playoff spot currently held by DC United. The table is tight enough in the middle third that two or three results this weekend could shuffle things significantly.
Key battle to watch
Columbus’s midfield, which includes Andre Gomes and Brais Mendez among its options, will look to control possession and limit Charlotte’s transitions. Charlotte have shown they can hurt teams on the counter, evidenced by that 3-0 win over Pumas, and Alexandre Saint-Maximin’s ability to carry the ball in space is one of the most direct threats Dean Smith’s side possesses. If Laurent Courtois can get Columbus compact and deny Charlotte room to run, the visitors have a genuine chance of grinding out a result. If Charlotte can press high and force errors from a Columbus back line that has shipped 28 goals this season, the home side should have enough to get the job done.
Key Stats
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Our Prediction
Charlotte are the more settled side in terms of MLS position and have the home crowd behind them, but the Leagues Cup loss to Pachuca showed they can be shut down when opponents defend with discipline. Columbus have been finding goals consistently in Leagues Cup play and will not come to Bank of America Stadium purely to defend. Expect a competitive, somewhat open match, with Charlotte’s home record and conference advantage making them slight favorites to take three points, though a draw would not be a surprise given Columbus’s ability to stay in games.
Columbus Crew