Following a first-round bye, the Columbus Crew is set to play fellow MLS side Houston Dynamo in the Round of 16 in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The two teams clash during the first leg on March 6 and return to Central Ohio for the second leg on March 12. Whoever emerges victorious awaits the winner of the Tigres (LIGA MX) and Orlando City (MLS).

Houston punched its ticket into the next round by defeating St. Louis CITY SC 1-0 Tuesday night. The Dynamo collected the victory, moving on in the tournament via the away goals tiebreaker which allowed the club to break the 2-2 aggregate deadlock and progress in the continental competition.

Both teams Columbus and Houston last clashed in MLS competition in August 2023 with the Dynamo claiming a 2-0 victory on the strength of goals from Corey Baird and Ibrahim Aliyu.

The Crew last appeared in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2021, making it as far as the quarterfinals where it squared off against Mexican club Monterrey. Falling a 2-2 draw in the first leg, the Black & Gold was ousted from the tournament following a 3-0 defeat in the second leg of the quarterfinal.

Columbus looks to establish positive momentum before its date with Houston when it travels North to Minneapolis for a date with Minnesota United on March 2nd. That contest kicks off a span of matches that sees the Crew taking the pitch five times in two weeks.

Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST.