The Columbus Crew return home after a massive 5-1 victory over Los Angeles Football Club. The Crew host Charlotte FC as the Black & Gold look to avenge an early season loss where two players needed injury substitutions early in the first half, adding to the frustration, Major League Soccer was still in the midst of a referee lockout. Questionable officiating, a Cucho outburst, and a loss led to a bad night in the Queen City. The Black & Gold hope for better memories during Wednesday’s midweek matchup.

The Crew training staff has done well to keep the team healthy, only goalkeeper Evan Bush will miss this match due to an injury. Forward Jacen Russell-Rowe has returned from international duty although goalkeeper Patrick Schulte has departed for the US Olympic team and will miss the next two MLS matches.

Here is how Columbus could lineup:

With Schulte in Paris, goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen will get his first start for the Black & Gold. Hagen’s only playtime with the Crew came after Bush broke his arm against Real Salt Lake earlier this year. The Guatamalan international had five saves against five shots on target. Due to both Schulte and Bush being unable to play, the Crew will likely call up a Columbus Crew 2 goalkeeper for this match. The two Capybara keepers are 18-year-old Stas Lapkes and 22-year-old Cole Johnson. Lapkes has worked his way up through the Crew Academy, while Johnson previously played at Southern Methodist University. 

Defender Rudy Camacho will want to start this match after being an early substitution due to injury in the reverse fixture. Camacho will have his hands full against the physically gifted forward, Patrick Agyemang.

Agyemang has speed, strength, and aggression, but is still a young player and needs to work on his finishing. Joining Camacho will be defender Yevhen Cheberko and Sean Zawadzki. With so many Black & Gold players representing in the MLS All-Star match, those players may get some rotation before the All-Star break.

Winger Max Arfsten has taken his chance to start as the left wingback and has seemingly cemented his name in the starting lineup over the last month. The young American has been called the most technically gifted player on the team by Nancy, and his play has backed this praise up. Unlike the left wingback position, there has been no contest for the right wingback position. Wingback Mo Farsi will start once more. 

Charlotte has the second-best defense in the MLS, second only to the Crew, and to help break Charlotte down Nancy will start midfielder Alex Matan in the midfield alongside midfielder and captain Darlington Nagbe. Columbus made a couple midfield acquisitions while also selling homegrown midfielder Aidan Morris, these additions will not be available for selection until the weekend match.  

The attacking trio of forwards Cucho Hernandez, Diego Rossi, and Christian Ramirez are the hottest attacking trio in MLS. In the last five matches, Columbus has outscored opponents 20-2. Of the 20 goals the Crew has scored in those five matches the Hernandez, Rossi, Ramirez trio has scored or assisted on every goal except one, Matan’s goal against LAFC.