Columbus Crew and Charlotte FC will meet at the Lower.com Field on Sunday in Round 16 of the 2022 Major League Soccer season, with kickoff at 2:30 am.
When Columbus Crew played Atlanta United on May 29, the Ohio-based club beat the Georgia-based team by a narrow 2-1 margin. Jonathan Mensah and Erik Hurtado scored for Columbus Crew in the first half, while Dom Dwyer scored for Atlanta United late in the match.
As a result, Columbus Crew moved up into 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings and are just three points off the last playoff spot with two games in hand.
Awaiting them next is a second-ever meeting against an opposing side who held on for a goalless draw in their first meeting back in February.
Charlotte FC defeated New York Red Bulls 2-0 in Saturday’s clash at the Bank of America Stadium. Late goals in either half from Ben Bender and Derrick Jones propelled Christian Lattanzio’s men to three well-deserved points.
With 19 points amassed from 15 games this term, the team from North Carolina has now climbed up into seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Sunday’s visitors currently boast the worst away record in the entire division, as they have only managed one point from a possible 21 on their travels.
Columbus Crew vs. Charlotte Head to Head
Both sides have one game against each other, each taking one draw. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Atlanta United 1-2 Columbus
- Columbus 0-2 Los Angeles
- New York City 0-2 Columbus
- NER 2-2 Columbus
Away
- Charlotte 2-0 NY Red Bulls
- Seattle 2-1 Charlotte
- NY Red Bulls 3-1 Charlotte
- Charlotte 2-1 Vancouver
Columbus Crew Team News
Kevin Molino will miss Columbus Crew’s game against New York City FC with a knee injury, while Marlon Hairston is also sidelined with an ankle problem. Midfielder Pedro Santos is a doubt for Sunday’s game after he was hauled off in the first half of his side’s last involvement.
Charlotte FC Team News
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Adam Armour will sit out a 10th consecutive game due to a long-term muscle injury. Since going 12 games without a goal, Ben Bender has now scored in back to back outings, making the American one to keep an eye on.
Prediction and Odds
Given Charlotte’s struggles on the road, it would be surprising to see anything other than a home win tonight.
- Home Win
- Both Teams to Score
- Goals Under 3.5
