A road point is a point, although probably not what Crew supporters, players, and staff were hoping for on Wednesday in Montreal. That said, everyone affiliated with the Columbus Crew would gladly take that point in exchange for a win on Saturday in the Hell is Real Derby.

The 2024 season was the first time in club history that the Crew did not record at least one win over their bitter rivals from the south. Chapter one of the 2025 Hell is Real rivalry will be written on Saturday with both sides again sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference and looking like real contenders for trophies this campaign. Aside from the importance of winning this match from a standings perspective, these two clubs and their fans genuinely dislike each other and couldn’t be more different. Original vs new, possession dominance vs transition execution, deep pockets vs smart spending (or not spending), anyway you slice it, these two sides are incredibly opposite. Despite this they are also similar, both are competitors to win trophies in every competition, both are firmly rooted in their beliefs about how their teams play and most importantly, both are desperate to get a leg up over their biggest foe. Let’s dig into the opponent, the match and how the Crew can reestablish dominance in this rivalry.

Opponents at a Glance:

Record:9-1-3, 28 points

League Form:  W,W,L,W,W

Leading Scorer: Evander, Kevin Denkey (7)

Assist Leader: Evander, Luca Orellano, Pavel Bucha, Deandre Yedlin, Sergio Santos (2)

Player to Watch: Evander

The biggest offseason transfer saga was easily the Evander sweepstakes. After an MLS MVP-level campaign in 2024, Evander was set on parting ways with Portland. The only question was which MLS side would win his signature. After experiencing Cascadia and its rivalries, Evander chose to be a part of the best rivalry in MLS in 2025. He has certainly flown out of the gates in his new home. Incredibly gifted on the ball, the Brazilian is at the heart of his side’s best moves week in and week out. Operating in central midfield, Evander has a natural ability to both create and finish attacking moves. Known for his elite ball striking, finishing, and passing, Evander has plenty of opportunities to demonstrate his abilities for his new side. Whether it’s crashing into the box to get on the end of a cross or dribbling past a defender before smashing one into the net, Evander can score in a ton of ways. Perhaps masked due to his goal-scoring numbers, Evander’s passing has flown under the radar so far in 2025. Evander, much like his predecessor Lucho Acosta, has the ability to pick out just about any pass in the attacking third. With a multitude of options to “feed” in attack, Evander will once again be the man to watch for Columbus on Saturday.

How the opponents play: 

Former Columbus Crew player Pat Noonan is in his fourth year at the helm for Columbus’s rivals and has helped (along with some cash) with one of the biggest turnarounds in MLS history. From their comically bad beginnings, the Crew’s biggest rivals are now a competent force in MLS. When Noonan first took over, his side heavily relied on defensive pressing and attacking transition to compete. Now in year four, Noonan’s side still has some of the same cornerstones of their tactical style but is more competent in maintaining and creating out of possession. In recent Hell is Real matches, the Crew have dominated possession and play and it’s easy to expect Noonan to prepare for the same game state on Saturday.

Just like the Crew, Noonan and his side almost exclusively employ a formation with three center backs and wing backs on either side. The main difference between the two formations is Noonan’s preference to use two strikers and a free-roaming central attacking midfielder (Evander) in possession. When Noonan’s side has possession, they will look to circulate the ball side to side and will essentially take what the opponents give them. If their opponents defend in a lower block, Noonan will ask his side to progress the ball through shorter passes and dribbles. When pressed, Noonan’s side will play more direct balls either into the frontline or in behind the opponent’s backline for their strikers to chase. Given what we know about each side, I expect Noonan to ask his side to keep the ball when possible, but they won’t hesitate to play direct balls into the frontline to ask questions of the Crew’s backline. Keep an eye out for the moments right after the Crew lose possession as Noonan and his side will be looking to exploit space in behind early and often.

Out of possession, Noonan’s side will drop their wingbacks into the backline to create a firm back five to defend. This will be complemented with two central midfielders protecting the backline and the two strikers and center attacking midfielder applying pressure to the opponent’s backline. Noonan has moved away slightly from a high press in his opponents’ half this season and instead has opted for a slightly lower line of engagement, about ¾ of the way up the pitch. Noonan’s side will look to prevent the Crew from penetrating centrally and instead usher the ball into wide areas, where they will look to win it back and quickly spring counterattacks.

How the Crew can win:

“My team will never be an underdog,” said Wilfried Nancy earlier this week. I am sure that will be an accurate reflection of the Crew’s mentality on Saturday. Simply put, the Crew will be playing to win and nothing less against their biggest rivals. The Crew won’t change for any opponent and will look to win “their way.” Here’s what needs to happen for “their way” to be the “winning way” on Saturday.

1. Rest Defense and Defending in Transition: If you read these previews often, this won’t be a new theme. The Crew dominates possession in every match. One of the key factors that enables them to do so is the number of players that are involved in the attack. Thus, there is always space behind the Crew’s backline in the moments after losing the ball. Look for the Crew to be well organized in their attacking shape when they have the ball, so they can quickly apply pressure to win it back when they lose it. If their opponents are able to break this pressure, the Crew will need to make sacrificial sprints back to defend these opportunities, maybe even sneaking in a “professional” foul or two to slow down counterattacks.
2. Play Through the Block: Noonan’s side likely won’t press the Crew all the way up the field in this match. Essentially, this is what the Crew wants. Instead, Noonan will organize his defence to start about ¾ of the way up the field and only in very specific moments of possession. Namely, when the ball is played wide or when the ball is played into a troublesome central area. When the Crew do play these passes, they need to play out of that pressure and into the attack. If the Crew get caught in these areas, they will have a lot of defensive transitioning to do. However, if they can play through this pressure, they will have a lot of space to attack.
3. Runs in Behind: At times in Wilfried Nancy’s tenure, we have seen matches where the Crew have struggled to make impactful runs in behind the backline. If you remember the first Hell is Real match of 2024, you know what I am talking about. If there is no threat to run in behind, Noonan’s defensive shape will allow his side to suffocate the Crew in possession because it is essentially “man to man” when the Crew have the ball. Thus, look for the Crew wing backs, attacking midfielders, and strikers to make intelligent well well-timed runs to keep their opponents’ backline honest.