Following the 3-2 loss to the Portland Timbers last week, the Columbus Crew must wait over a month to take part in another MLS game. In the meantime, however, the Black & Gold return to Lower.com Field on Sunday to make their Leagues Cup debut against St. Louis CITY SC.

In the team’s inaugural season, St. Louis sits in first place in MLS’s Western Conference with 41 points through 23 games played. Striker Nicholas Gioacchini and midfielder Eduard Löwen lead the team in goals with eight and six respectively. Löwen also leads the team in assists with six. CITY will be without defender Joakim Nilsson, who has a knee injury, and striker Joao Klauss, who has a quad injury, for this game.

Despite some recent changes to the roster, Columbus is as strong as the team has been all season. The only player who is officially out for this

Can the Crew start the team’s Leagues Cup capaign with a win? The Massive Report staff gives their prediction for the game for Black & Gold’s game against St. Louis CITY.

Drew McDaniel

The Crew had a near-perfect June, but faltered in July. Five points in four games against teams below the playoff line does not bode well for the Black & Gold. Columbus still has the best offense in MLS but the defensive woes continue. I would think the Crew would bring in defensive reinforcements this transfer window, but it is a bit too little, too late for the Leagues Cup.

St. Louis has the second-highest scoring offense in the league but a more stout defensive record. This game should be a fun back-and-forth, but the Black & Gold will escape with a tie at home after a late goal salvages a point for the home side.

All signs point to this game being a high-scoring affair, 3-3, 4-4, or 2-2? I don’t think so. Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte will come up big in the penalty kick shootout to seal the extra point.

Columbus Crew 1 (PKs) St. Louis CITY SC 1

Adam Miller

Leagues Cup match No. 1 for the Crew sees the newest club in the league come to Columbus for the first time. St. Louis CITY will be a tough test as the team prefers to play a direct style that could hurt the Black & Gold. I expect the Crew to take care of business at home thanks to goals from Cucho Hernandez and Lucas Zelarayan before giving up a late consolation goal. 

Columbus Crew 2 St. Louis CITY SC 1

Patrick Murphy

I have no idea what to expect from this game. The new Leagues Cup brings uncertainty as to how teams will handle this tournament between the league and Liga MX. The Crew said all the right things in media availability this week, pointing out that, with a month off before the next MLS game, it makes sense to go for it in these games. Yet how the team lines up will tell a lot.

I do think Wilfried Nancy will play a relatively strong lineup, although it wouldn’t surprise me if he experiments a bit with the starting lineup and where players line up.

St. Louis CITY, my original hometown team, will present an interesting challenge as another team that scores a lot of goals and sitting at the top of the Western Conference, but only five points ahead of the Black & Gold. I’ll say Columbus gets the win, but I honestly don’t know what to make of this game.

Columbus Crew 3 St. Louis CITY SC 2

Nathan Townsend

The Crew’s inaugural Leagues Cup match also happens to be the team’s first match against MLS expansion side St. Louis CITY SC. St. Louis has shocked the league by playing extremely well, currently sitting the top team of the Western Conference. I expect this to be a cagey match with both teams trying to find an early opener but it’ll be two second half goals that keep this game level and has the team share the points to start Leagues Cup.

Columbus Crew 1 St. Louis CITY SC 1

Caleb Denorme

The Crew opens the Leagues Cup slate at home against St. Louis CITY SC. The expansion side has been flying out of the gate this MLS season, racking up points and sitting atop the Western Conference. The Black & Gold, on the other hand, have been flat lately, losing their last game to the Portland Timbers and still trying to figure out their backline. I think this game will end in draw and then Columbus will win in the penalty kick shootout.

Columbus Crew 1 (PKs) St. Louis CITY SC 1

Ryan Schmitt

Leagues Cup will be an interesting test for this young Crew side as it’ll be the first time the team has real pressure to win throughout every game. The MLS season isn’t as relentless in that fashion. Center back Milos Degenek is reportedly leaving, so his availability in the match isn’t fully confirmed however. We do know that Julian Gressel will not play. I think the Crew win the game, as long as the Black & Gold don’t pass the ball to the St. Louis strikers 25 yards from goal.

Columbus Crew 2 St. Louis CITY SC 1