MLS: Columbus Crew vs. Philadelphia Union Preview, Odds, Prediction

The Philadelphia Union visits Columbus Crew on Sunday, searching for a win and a comeback to the top spot of the Eastern Conference. However, the home unit has plans of its own, and they want to post a victory as well. Three points here would be very valuable for Crew, who sits outside the playoff zone. It will be interesting to see how this event unfolds due to the imperative for a win on both sides. The game takes place at the Lower.com Field in Columbus.

Preview

Columbus Crew (+125) started this championship a bit slower than expected. The Crew was the MLS Cup winner in 2020, and they still have a respectable roster, which is why many believe that the current results are below the true potential of this assembly.

Right now, the Crew has four games in a row withough a loss. They started the series with a win in Atlanta, 1-2, then posted two draws at home vs. Charlotte, 1-1, and in Salt Lake against Real, 0-0, before beating Toronto at BMO Field in Canada, 1-2. The Crew managed to shock the hosts with two goals in the span of 15 minutes inside the first half and, after that, simply locked the defense.

Columbus isn’t collecting points at home, which is the biggest problem for Caleb Porter. A single triumph at Lower.com Field in the last five games is a terrible record for any team that wants to reach the playoffs.

Philadelphia Union (+225) took the top spot in the East, but lost it just a few days later. The reason for that was a loss in Chicago to Fire, 1-0, which also marked the end of their unbeaten steak. Union played nine games in a row in which they managed to avoid a defeat but only won two, recording seven draws.

Jim Curtin and his team won against New York City FC last midweek, and the Union moved ahead of the champs on the East standings. Though, the competition is fierce in the East, and one slip costs too much.

Union plays tough and defensive-minded football. They aren’t very attractive to watch, but on the other side, the results are positive, and that is what Curtin is all about. He doesn’t care for criticism and the fact that the last three games Philly played all saw under 2.5 goals. That is even more apparent on the road, with five of the latest seven clashes concluding with fewer than three hits.

Latest News

The hosts don’t have any injury problems.

Kai Wagner is out for the guests because of the yellow-card suspension.

Head to Head Games

The previous four head-to-head games were with just one side netting, and three of them ended with one or no goals at all. The most recent clash was in April this year, and Philly minimally won at home, 1-0.

Prediction

The obvious pick here is under 2.5 goals. Both teams have a “defense first” approach, and the efficiency of their recent games is low. The odds on that are -125, which is quite satisfying in our opinion.

Pick: Under 2.5 goals -125