Crew Look to Continue Strong Play in Encounter vs. Red Bulls

Saturday’s regular-season finale between the Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls in Harrison, N.J., has the potential to be a preview of the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

The Columbus Crew (18-6-9, 63 points) are locked into the second seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the seventh seed in the first round of the playoffs. As of now, that opponent would be the New York Red Bulls (11-8-14, 47 points), but New York could move up to sixth place if they defeat Columbus and Charlotte FC lose or draw against D.C. United.

Possible Playoff Matchup

With the MLS Cup first round now consisting of a best-of-three series, this match could be the first of up to four consecutive games between the Crew and the Red Bulls. Crew coach Wilfried Nancy expressed his displeasure with the repetitive nature of this potential matchup, noting that facing the same opponent multiple times would not only be boring for fans but could also diminish the excitement of the games.

“I hate that prospect,” Nancy said, discussing the possibility of multiple games against New York. “It would be boring for fans to watch the same teams lining up time after time.”

Recent Form

The Crew head into this contest with a solid run of form, having demolished the New England Revolution 4-0 last Saturday. That victory improved their record to 4-1-2 over their last seven league matches, positioning them as one of the strongest teams in the East.

The highlight of their win over New England was a hat trick from Alex Matan, who scored more goals in that single game than he had in his previous 91 career appearances for Columbus (two goals). Matan credits his resurgence to the confidence instilled in him by Wilfried Nancy.

“I think you guys could see, even last season, I was a changed player,” Matan said after the match. “When somebody trusts you, and especially when you’re at your lowest, it gives you a lot of confidence, and you can do things that before you thought you could never do.”

Meanwhile, the Red Bulls have struggled to maintain consistency, going 1-4-3 since the Leagues Cup break. Their most recent outing was a 2-1 loss to Atlanta United on Oct. 5. Despite their form, the Red Bulls will extend their MLS record by qualifying for the playoffs for the 15th straight year.

Red Bulls’ Mindset

Red Bulls coach Sandro Schwarz emphasized that his team expects a full-strength Crew side on Saturday, dismissing the notion that Columbus might take the match lightly with their playoff position secure.

“It is a big, big, big mistake when we are thinking, ‘Oh, they are the second in our table and in the Eastern Conference, but they are coming here only to play with 70 or 80 percent,’” Schwarz said. “Never. This will never happen on Saturday.”

Previous Matchup

The last time these two teams met was back in March when the Crew claimed a commanding 3-0 victory at home, with goals from Cucho Hernandez, Jacen Russell-Rowe, and Aidan Morris. Since then, Morris has been transferred to Middlesbrough in England, leaving Hernandez to carry much of the attacking load for Columbus.

Hernandez has been prolific this season, tied for second in MLS with 19 goals. On the other side, Lewis Morgan leads the Red Bulls with 13 goals this season, despite the team’s overall attacking struggles.

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Injuries and Availability

Columbus will be without midfielder Sean Zawadzki (rib) and defender Steven Moreira (ankle) for Saturday’s match. Both players are being monitored, and their availability for the playoffs remains uncertain.

As the regular season draws to a close, the Crew will be aiming to maintain their momentum and head into the playoffs in top form. For the Red Bulls, Saturday’s game is an opportunity to secure a better playoff position and regain confidence before the postseason begins.