After exiting the Leagues Cup in the Round of 32 two weeks ago, the Columbus Crew is finally back on the field on Sunday evening. With the return of Major League Soccer play, the Black & Gold dive right back into the thick of things with second the Hell Is Real Derby of the season against FC Cincinnati.
Both sides enter this match after an exceedingly long break, losing in penalty kicks in the Leagues Cup on Aug. 4. Bragging rights aside, this match is an important one in the Eastern Conference as the two teams enter the game in the midst of an MLS Cup playoff race.
After losing this fixture earlier this year at TQL Stadium, Columbus will look at this as a must-win match at Lower.com Field. Here’s what to expect from both teams and how the Crew can take all three points.
Opponents at a Glance:
Record: 15-6-2, 51 points
League Form: W, W, D, D, L
Leading Scorer: Luciano Acosta (12)
Assist Leader: Luciano Acosta (6)
Player to Watch: Luciano Acosta
Acosta has become a well-known MLS figure in recent years thanks to his success and performances in southern Ohio. The 28-year-old Argentine bounced around teams in South America before making his way to D.C. United for four seasons where he began to impress with 25 goals in 137 matches for the club. Acosta then went south of the border to play for Atlas before making his return to MLS.
Since returning to the U.S., Acosta has set the league alight with 31 goals and 27 assists in 83 MLS matches. The midfielder has the ability to break down defenses with both his dribbling out of pressure and passing ability. Acosta has the freedom to drift around the field and look for space to receive the ball and pull the strings in the attack. In addition, Acosta is an underrated ball-winner in midfield and excels in the style of play his club employs.
The Black & Gold midfield and backline will need to be well aware of Acosta’s whereabouts on Sunday in order to shut down his role in the attack, especially after his impact in the reverse fixture.
How FC Cincinnati play:
In his second season as head coach in Cincinnati, Pat Noonan has shifted the focus and playing style of his side. Noonan has implemented similar tactics to Jim Curtain’s Philadelphia Union after his time there as an assistant. This shift has moved FC Cincinnati from a defensive reactive teamm to a more aggressive and proactive one.
The main pillars of this style are aggressive pressing, quick transition play and direct buildup play. The idea is to force the opponent to play on the back foot and keep the ball in their half. This style results in matches being high tempo, physical and very open. This is directly opposite to how Columbus plays, making the Hell Is Real Derby an intriguing match from a tactical side of things.
Noonan typically uses a similar 3-4-3 formation to the Crew. In possession, Cincinnati moves the ball from side to side trying to create an opening to play the ball forward into big target forwards Brandon Vazquez and Aaron Boupendza. When this ball is played, the wing backs and central midfielders move forward in order to help win the second ball and create numerical advantages in the attack.
Out of possession, Cincinnati presses very high up the field to try and force turnovers and mistakes and win the ball in the tea’s attacking third. When FCC does win the ball facing forward, the team almost always looks to advance it as quickly as possible via a long direct pass or dribbling into space.
How the Crew can win:
The Black & Gold will be without head coach Wilfried Nancy, who is serving his MLS suspension after the red card he received against New York City FC earlier this year. Despite this, Columbus should be well-rested and prepared tactically for this match. This game will also likely mark the debut of new signing Diego Rossi for the Crew, which could change how the team approaches some things.
Here are a few things the Black & Gold must do in order to win this match:
- Rest defense and defending in transition. Columbus got shredded by counter attack in the first matchup between these two sides. While the Crew has made both personnel and tactical changes to improve in this area, it remains the biggest question mark in Nancy’s game model. Given Cincinnati is an opponent adept at creating opportunities in this phase, it becomes even more important for the Black & Gold. Look for midfielders Aidan Morris and Darlington Nagbe to play a big part in winning the ball back to halt transition. Columbus’ front line and wing backs will also need to do a great job counter pressing to stop the counter attacks from developing.
- Handle the pressure. Crew fans will remember the previous Hell Is Real Derby for the mistake from goalkeeper Patrick Schulte that allowed the game-winning goal at TQL Stadium, but that wasn’t the only shaky moment for the Black & Gold in that match when under pressure. Columbus developed more comfortability when under pressure since that game, especially in the team’s own half. However, the Crew will be tested for the majority of the match on Sunday and will need to avoid needless turnovers and dangerous giveaways in order to take all three points.
- Take the chances. The Black & Gold are going to have chances to score in this match, as the team has all season. Columbus needs to take these chances in order to win this match. Obviously, goals win games, but they will also go a long way toward settling the team down in a big match, as well as making the group more comfortable without Nancy or Lucas Zelarayan. In addition, this will bring the home crowd into the game even more and make it a hostile place for FC Cincinnati.
Hell is Real Food:
The Crew launched a special menu to commemorate this Hell Is Real Derby. The menu is available to all supporters at Lower.com Field for this match only, adding another fun element to this rivalry. The menu consists of Donatos Hell is Real Pizza, Dirty Frank’s Hell is Real Dog, Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, Cheddar Jalapeno Brat, Mini Corndogs, Flamin’ Hot Smokestack, Spicy Meatball Sub and Hell or High Water Cocktail.
The items will be available at the various food stations throughout Lower.com Field. If you’re headed to the match, make sure to stop at the concessions stand and grab some of the new grub.
MASSIVE REPORT 