Columbus Crew vs New York City Fc Picks and Predictions March 22nd 2025

Short-Handed Showdown: NYCFC Visits Crew Amid Roster Challenges

Saturday’s Eastern Conference clash between the Columbus Crew and New York City FC might be light on regular starters, but it won’t be short on intensity. Both sides enter the matchup navigating roster headaches due to international call-ups, injuries, and suspensions—putting depth and adaptability to the test early in the MLS season.

NYCFC (2-1-1, 7 points) will be without their top scorer, Alonso Martinez, who has been called up to the Costa Rican national team. Martinez has netted three of the team’s six goals so far and has been a sparkplug in the attack. But head coach Pascal Jansen sees it as a moment for others to step up—particularly young Algerian midfielder Mounsef Bakrar.

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“It’s not an easy battle competing with Alonso, so this is his opportunity to show where he’s at,” Jansen said. “We have all the confidence in him… It’s just about making sure we understand his qualities in order to be successful.”

Bakrar has only logged 87 minutes over four matches this season, but Saturday could be his coming-out party if he embraces the starting role.

Columbus Crew Dealing With Absences Across the Board

If NYCFC’s missing one key piece, Columbus (2-0-2, 8 points) is down several. Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and midfielder Max Arfsten are with the U.S. squad for the CONCACAF Nations League, while Mo Farsi has been called up to Algeria. Adding to the challenges, defenders Rudy Camacho and Steven Moreira are out injured, and Malte Amundsen is suspended following a red card last match.

Despite the laundry list of absentees, head coach Wilfried Nancy remains unshaken.

“I’m going to prepare for the game like I do any game with our players to play New York City,” Nancy said. “For me, this is not a debate.”

Nancy acknowledged the Crew made a strategic decision to play through this international window—preferring to absorb the impact now rather than later in the year when the match load intensifies.

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“We decided to play during this window and not the next… At the end of the year, we’re going to get to 35 or 40 games, and I knew the September window was a good time to rest,” Nancy explained.

That decision could pay dividends in the long run, but for now, the Crew will need a next-man-up mentality to maintain their unbeaten start.

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A Battle of Depth and Identity

Both squads are quietly off to solid starts this season, and Saturday’s clash could be a preview of how well each team can adjust under pressure. For NYCFC, it’s about maintaining offensive momentum without Martinez. For Columbus, it’s a full-system test across the backline and midfield.

If you’re tracking MLS predictions and looking for an edge in evaluating how these absences might affect the result, check out updated soccer picks and expert analysis tailored for matches like this one.