Columbus Crew return to league action against New York City FC on Wednesday, July 22 at 7:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM CT / 4:30 PM PT, back at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field with a point to prove after the World Cup break.
Our Columbus Crew vs New York City FC prediction starts with a table that has both sides looking up. NYCFC hold eighth in the Eastern Conference, the last comfortable seat inside the playoff line. The Crew sit 10th, three points adrift of that cut-off, and neither can afford a slow restart.
The last time these two met, in early May, the Boys in Blue rolled Columbus 3-0 in New York. That result is the backdrop here, even if the seven-week pause has reshuffled both squads and reset the rhythm of the season.
bet365 price Columbus at -115 to win at home, with the draw at +260 and New York City FC also at +260. The market reads this as a fixture the Crew should shade on their own field, though the gap is narrow enough to leave plenty on the table.
Columbus Crew vs New York City FC: Best Bets & Predictions
Two attacks that carry a threat, on a night when the home side should edge it but a New York City FC goal looks likely in reply.
Our approach: anchor on Columbus Crew to win, add Both Teams to Score for the reply, and treat a 2-1 home scoreline as the natural way the night plays out.
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Season Form & Standings
New York City FC carry the better numbers into the restart, sitting eighth in the East on 19 points with a positive goal difference. Columbus are 10th on 16, three points back of the playoff cut-off, and the two are separated by little more than a run of results.
| Team | Pos | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City FC | 8 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 21 | +4 | 19 |
| Columbus Crew | 10 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 23 | -2 | 16 |
The pattern is the same on both sides of the ledger: goals at one end, leaks at the other. Full standings live on the MLS standings page, with more context across the MLS hub.
Columbus Crew vs NYCFC Predicted Lineups
Based on the XI each side started in their last match.
Columbus Crew
3-4-1-2NYCFC
4-2-3-1Potential Match-Winners
- Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew): the Crew’s leading scorer with six goals from 39 shots, 13 of them on target, and the man Columbus lean on for a moment of quality.
- Wessam Abou Ali (Columbus Crew): ruthless in limited minutes, with five goals from just 567 on the field — the sharpest finisher in the home ranks.
- Nicolás Fernández (New York City FC): the most prolific attacker in the fixture, with 10 goals, three assists and 25 shots on target across the campaign.
- Maximiliano Moralez (New York City FC): the creative pulse of the NYCFC midfield, weighing in with six assists and seven big chances created this season.
Recent Form
Columbus Crew: L L L D W
- May 24: Columbus Crew 2-0 Atlanta United (W, home)
- May 17: Philadelphia Union 1-1 Columbus Crew (D, away)
- May 14: New York Red Bulls 3-2 Columbus Crew (L, away)
- May 10: New York City FC 3-0 Columbus Crew (L, away)
- May 3: Columbus Crew 2-3 Minnesota United (L, home)
Columbus signed off before the break on an upswing, unbeaten in their final two and closing with a clean 2-0 win over Atlanta United. The Crew also scored in each of their last three, the previous blank coming in that 3-0 loss at New York City FC on May 10.
New York City FC: L W W D L
- May 24: Nashville SC 2-1 New York City FC (L, away)
- May 17: New York Red Bulls 1-1 New York City FC (D, away)
- May 14: Charlotte FC 0-1 New York City FC (W, away)
- May 10: New York City FC 3-0 Columbus Crew (W, home)
- May 3: New York City FC 0-2 DC United (L, home)
NYCFC tailed off into the pause, winless in their last two after that eye-catching run in the middle of May. They have conceded in each of their last two as well, so the clean sheets that once underpinned their season have started to slip.
Columbus Crew vs New York City FC Prediction
This has the makings of an open, watchable restart between two sides who defend loosely and attack with intent. The Crew have home advantage, the shorter price and the momentum of an unbeaten finish, while NYCFC bring the sharpest scorer on show in Nicolás Fernández. We come down on the hosts, but expect New York City FC to have their say. Take Columbus Crew to win at -115 with bet365, with both teams to score for the reply, when the Crew get back underway at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field at 7:30 PM ET. For more picks across the slate, see our soccer predictions and the rest of this week’s MLS previews.
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