- Columbus Crew are unbeaten in two games after beating Charlotte FC 4-2 at home and drawing 2-2 away at Philadelphia Union.
- FC Cincinnati have won four and lost one in their last five MLS games.
- Both teams have 25 points from 12 MLS 2025 games, but Cincy are second and the Crew are third because of goal difference.
Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati will meet in the ‘Hell Is Real Derby’ on Saturday with both teams looking to maintain their excellent form and build on their identical 25-point records from 12 MLS 2025 games. Crew are third in the Eastern Conference, just behind Cincy in second, because of goal difference and there’s nothing to separate the two teams in the head-to-head record of the last three MLS games with one win apiece and a draw. This is one of the most intense and storied derbies in the MLS with bragging rights and possible playoff implications always at stake, so there’s no such thing as a ‘friendly’ when these two face off.
Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy has installed a possession-based system since taking over in December 2022 that has made his team methodical and tough to break down. The Crew’s recent form in their last five MLS games includes three wins, one draw and one defeat, and they are coming off a 2-2 draw away at Philadelphia Union that was more about guts than glamour. Cincinnati, on the other hand, play a more direct game with a solid defensive structure that springs into action on turnovers. Pat Noonan has done a great job at Cincy since late 2021, making the Orange and Blue a consistent Eastern Conference contender.
Cincy’s away record in this MLS campaign is three wins and three losses from six games. Cincinnati bounced back from an away loss to NYCFC with a 2-1 home victory over Austin FC and will be confident of a good result in Ohio. Columbus Crew have won four, drawn two and lost just one of their seven home games in MLS 2025, averaging 1.71 goals per game at home and conceding 1.00. The Crew have a slight edge in the head-to-head record with 2.0 goals per game at home to Cincy’s 1.0 as visitors, so we’re going to back the hosts to edge this one with the home advantage.
