Last Sunday, the Columbus Crew grinded their way to a 1- 1 draw in Seattle against the Sounders. A beautifully worked team goal, finished off by Diego Rossi, was quickly neutralized by a Seattle equalizer right before halftime. While the result itself wasn’t necessarily bad, Crew fans, players, and even coaches have been underwhelmed by the Black & Gold’s performances of late. The quick fix? Finding a way to beat their biggest rivals on Saturday in the second edition of the 2025 Hell is Real Derby. 

In May, these two sides battled to a 1-1 draw in Columbus that saw the Crew come from behind to earn a point. This time around, the Black & Gold will be looking for their first win down south since the 2023 Eastern Conference final. Aside from the derby day bragging rights that each team’s supporters so desperately want, this match is a real opportunity for the Crew to make a statement in the Eastern Conference and gain some ground in the Supporters’ Shield race. Let’s get you ready for the Crew’s trip down south with the opportunity to paint Ohio Black & Gold once more!

Opponents at a glance:

Record: 13-3-5, 42 points

League Form:  W,W,W,W,L

Leading Scorer: Evander, Kevin Denkey (12)

Assist Leader: Evander (7)

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 in the Queen City. 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 numerous opportunities to showcase his abilities for FCC. 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, he can score in a ton of ways. Perhaps masked due to the Brazilian’s 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 Crew striker Pat Noonan is in year four as a head coach in MLS. When Noonan first took over, his side heavily relied on defensive pressing and attacking transition to compete. Now, Noonan’s side still has some of the same cornerstones of their tactical style, but is much more competent in both maintaining and creating out of possession. Despite this, the Crew is the best possession side in the league. If recent Hell is Real derbies are anything to go by, this match won’t be much different. The Crew will dominate possession while Noonan’s side looks to strike on the counter. 

Like the Crew, Noonan’s team favors a three-center-back setup with wing-backs offering width on both sides. However, Noonan’s approach stands out for its use of two strikers and a central attacking midfielder (Evander) who operates with a great deal of positional freedom. In possession, they aim to shift the ball across the pitch, probing for weaknesses based on the opponent’s shape. When faced with a deep, compact defense, they’ll look to break it down with short passing sequences and individual dribbling. Against teams that press higher, they’re prepared to play more direct, sending balls into the feet of their forwards or over the top for runs in behind. Given these patterns, expect Noonan’s side to try to control the tempo when possible but also be willing to go direct to challenge the Crew’s defensive line. It will be crucial to watch for the immediate moments after the Crew lose the ball, as Noonan’s side will likely try to exploit open space behind with quick, decisive attacks.

Defensively, the wing backs will drop back to form a solid five-man line, providing a sturdy base. Ahead of them, two central midfielders will sit deep to shield the defense, while the two strikers and the attacking midfielder work to disrupt the opponent’s build-up. This season, Noonan has adjusted by pulling back slightly from an all-out high press, instead setting their pressing line around three-quarters of the field. Their defensive strategy aims to close off central lanes and steer the Crew’s play toward the flanks, where they can look to force turnovers and break quickly on the counter.

How the Crew can win:

This game won’t win or lose any trophies, clinch or eliminate teams from playoff contention or anything else of significant consequence. However, I’d bet my last dollar that supporters of both these sides would accept a win in this match in exchange for all of the others in 2025. Here’s how Wilfried Nancy’s men can drive back up the I-71 with three points on Saturday. 

1. Rest defense and transition defense:

If you’re familiar with these match previews, you’ll recognize this recurring point. The Crew are a team built to dominate possession, and much of that success comes from committing plenty of players forward in attack. Naturally, this leaves space open behind their backline the moment they lose the ball. Expect them to maintain a disciplined attacking structure that positions players to counterpress immediately after losing possession. If that initial pressure is broken, though, the Crew will have to work extremely hard to recover—expect them to sprint back urgently, and don’t be surprised if they use the occasional tactical foul to disrupt dangerous counterattacks and slow things down.

2. Breaking through the block:

It’s unlikely that Noonan’s side will apply full-field pressure against the Crew in this match—and that’s largely by design, as it suits the Crew’s style. Instead, Noonan will have his team hold their line of engagement about three-quarters up the pitch, pressing only in carefully chosen moments, particularly when the ball is played out wide or into risky central pockets. When these traps are triggered, the Crew will need to find ways to play through them and transition quickly into attack. Failing to do so will leave them exposed to counterattacks. But if they can break that pressure cleanly, they’ll find a lot of space to exploit going forward.

3. Threatening with runs in behind:

Under Wilfried Nancy, there have been matches where the Crew struggled to consistently stretch defenses with well-timed runs behind the backline—think back to the first “Hell is Real” clash of 2024 as an example. Without that threat, Noonan’s defensive setup can become suffocating, operating in tight, almost man-marking fashion that denies space between the lines. To keep the defense honest and create openings, the Crew’s wing backs, attacking midfielders, and strikers will need to make smart, well-timed runs in behind to challenge the backline and open up space for possession play.