Columbus Crew vs Sporting KC Prediction: Columbus Crew are expected to emerge victorious with a 4-2 win over Sporting Kansas City in their Leagues Cup round of 32 match at Lower.com Field.
The Columbus Crew are set to host Sporting Kansas City in a crucial Leagues Cup round of 32 match at Lower.com Field on Friday. This encounter marks the first international stage meeting between the two sides as they vie for a place in the last 16 of the tournament.
Match Preview
Columbus Crew enter this fixture with momentum on their side. They’ve had nearly two weeks to rest and prepare, having secured a bye to the knockout stage as the reigning MLS champions. Their last outing resulted in a convincing 4-1 friendly victory over Aston Villa.
In contrast, Sporting Kansas City come into this match following a 2-1 defeat against Toluca on Monday, which relegated them to second place in the West 4 table of the Leagues Cup.
Expected Columbus Crew vs Sporting KC Lineups and Formation
Columbus Crew Lineup (3-4-1-2): D. Nagbe, S. Moreira, M. Farsi, A. Matan, J. Russell-Rowe, Y. Amundsen, D. Rossi, M. Arfsten, R. Camacho, C. Hernandez, P. Schulte.
Sporting Kansas City Lineup (3-4-3): R. Voloder, E. Thommy, S. Afrifa, A. Pulido, R. Castellanos, J. Russell, T. Melia, N. Radoja, J. Davis, L. Ndenbe, W. Walter.
Injured and Unavailable Players
Columbus Crew:
Evan Bush (wrist injury)
Sporting Kansas City:
- Felipe Hernandez (out indefinitely due to off-field issues)
- Memo Rodriguez (questionable – quad issue)
Recently Returned Players:
- Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew – back from US Olympic Team duty)
- Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew – available after helping US U-20 squad win CONCACAF Championship)
- John Pulskamp (Sporting KC – back from US Olympic duty)
- Jake Davis (Sporting KC – back from US Olympic duty)
- Logan Ndenbe (Sporting KC – returned from torn ACL sustained last season)
- Daniel Rosero (Sporting KC – recently back from hamstring injury)
Where to Watch?
The match will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass in numerous countries, including: USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, Brazil, and Japan.
Key Stats and Form
- Columbus Crew are undefeated in their last five home matches, scoring 15 goals and conceding only two.
- The Crew lead MLS in possession (60.3%) and pass accuracy (86.7%).
- Sporting KC have lost nine of their last ten away matches in the 2024 regular season.
- Columbus Crew’s recent form: W-D-L-W-W
- Sporting Kansas City’s recent form: L-W-D-W-L
Head-to-Head
In their only previous visit to Lower.com Field in June, Sporting KC suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat.
Standings
Columbus Crew currently sit 3rd in the Eastern Conference with 43 points from 23 games. Sporting Kansas City occupy the 12th spot in the Western Conference, having accumulated 24 points from 26 matches.
Who Will Win?
Given Columbus Crew’s strong home record and Sporting KC’s struggles on the road, the hosts are favored to win. The predicted score based on the source is:
Predicted Score: Columbus Crew 4-2 Sporting Kansas City
This Leagues Cup round of 32 match between Columbus Crew and Sporting Kansas City promises to be an intriguing contest, with both teams aiming to progress in the tournament.
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