Columbus Crew host New York Red Bulls at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field on Saturday, September 12 (7:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM CT / 4:30 PM PT).
Columbus Crew have no fresh fitness concerns heading into this one, and Wessam Abou Ali leads the line off the back of five goals this season, while Dániel Gazdag (eight chances created) and Taha Habroune (35 chances created) both offer proven creative output from midfield. New York Red Bulls, also with a clean bill of health, will lean on Julian Hall and Jorge Ruvalcaba up top, with Emil Forsberg pulling the strings behind them after supplying 31 chances created of his own this season.
Columbus Crew sit 13th in the Eastern Conference and will fancy building on Saturday’s 3-0 win over Colorado Rapids, a rare bright spot after 4 defeats in their previous 5 league outings. New York Red Bulls arrive 10th in the same conference on the back of a 0-0 draw at Seattle Sounders, a side that has found goals hard to come by of late. Expect a competitive, tightly fought contest that still produces goals at both ends, with Columbus’s superior firepower up top edging it 2-1.
Columbus Crew vs New York Red Bulls: Best Bets & Predictions
Can Columbus Crew's front line end a rocky home run against a misfiring Red Bulls attack?
Our approach: we weigh conference standing, recent form, and player-level output (goals, shots, chances created) to land on a single Result, Correct Score, Both Teams to Score, Over/Under and Anytime Goalscorer pick for every fixture.
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Season Form & Standings
Columbus Crew sit 13th in the Eastern Conference with 23 points from 23 games and a goal difference of -5, a position that leaves little margin for error as the playoff race tightens. New York Red Bulls occupy 10th in the same conference, still within touching distance of a playoff spot with the regular season entering its final stretch.
Eastern Conference
| Team | Pos | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Crew | 13 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 34 | 39 | -5 | 23 |
Columbus Crew vs New York Red Bulls Predicted Lineups
Predicted XI — updated for the latest team news.
Columbus Crew
4-3-2New York Red Bulls
4-3-3Potential Match-Winners
- Wessam Abou Ali (Columbus Crew): Abou Ali has scored 5 goals from 20 shots in 567 minutes this season, with 9 of those attempts on target — the sharpest finishing threat in this Columbus attack.
- Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew): Habroune has created 35 chances across 1557 minutes, the clearest creative outlet in the Columbus midfield.
- Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls): Hall leads the visitors with 9 goals from 47 shots, 24 of which have tested the goalkeeper, making him the most in-form finisher on either side.
Recent Form
Columbus Crew: L L L L W
- 2026-09-06: Columbus Crew 3-0 Colorado Rapids (W, home)
- 2026-08-30: Columbus Crew 1-3 New England Revolution (L, home)
- 2026-08-23: Nashville SC 3-2 Columbus Crew (L, away)
- 2026-08-20: Columbus Crew 1-2 CF Montreal (L, home)
- 2026-08-16: Charlotte FC 3-1 Columbus Crew (L, away)
Columbus Crew’s only win in their last 5 league matches came on September 6, a 3-0 home win over Colorado Rapids, following defeats to New England Revolution, Nashville SC, CF Montreal and Charlotte FC.
New York Red Bulls: L L D L D
- 2026-09-06: Seattle Sounders 0-0 New York Red Bulls (D, away)
- 2026-08-30: New York Red Bulls 1-3 Philadelphia Union (L, home)
- 2026-08-23: New York Red Bulls 1-1 Chicago Fire (D, home)
- 2026-08-20: New York Red Bulls 0-1 Nashville SC (L, home)
- 2026-08-16: Atlanta United 2-1 New York Red Bulls (L, away)
New York Red Bulls’ most recent outing was a 0-0 draw away at Seattle Sounders on September 6, a result that followed a 1-3 home defeat to Philadelphia Union and a 1-1 draw with Chicago Fire.
Columbus Crew vs New York Red Bulls Prediction
Columbus Crew, 13th in the Eastern Conference, need results like this to push back into the playoff picture, and Abou Ali’s scoring form gives them the cutting edge at home. New York Red Bulls, 10th in the East, have shown they can find goals against most opponents this season, so expect them to get on the scoresheet too — but Columbus’s attacking depth should be enough to see it home 2-1.