After rattling off back-to-back road wins last week, the Columbus Crew travel to the Sunshine State on Saturday night to face Orlando City SC in a postseason rematch.
Numbers to Know
7 – Saturday night marks two weeks since the Crew’s Hell is Real setback. After the match, players said they needed a mild reset and would be back to normal soon. So far, so good. Four days later, the Black & Gold won at CF Montréal. Three days after that, they beat Chicago Fire FC. So, that sets the stage for Saturday night’s game in Orlando. Yes, the Crew are seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, but their form resembles that of reigning champions – not their current standing. (Also: the Crew have a game in hand with the four clubs ahead of them, so the standings are too fluid to worry about).
17 – Christian Ramirez is starting to heat up, and that’s a problem for opponents. Last match, he scored the game winner with a towering header from a wonderful Mohamed Farsi cross. Before that was an assist in Montréal. His role has fluctuated this season because of an earlier injury, but he’s proving why he scored eight goals and provided four assists a season ago. With Cucho Hernández out, Columbus will need its No. 17 to step up. Oh, and don’t forget he scored the game-winning goal against Orlando in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinal.
10 – City’s had an unexpected start to 2024. Finishing second in the Eastern Conference last season, Orlando rests 10th in the conference currently with 16 points from 13 matches. That being said, this month’s been a grind for the club. There was a home lost to second-place FC Cincinnati, but there was also a road win at the San Jose Earthquakes and the Philadelphia Union. The side also drew Inter Miami CF. The point: don’t read into the standings. This is going to be a hard matchup and it’s starting to heat up down south.
13 – All eyes are on Duncan McGuire, a 23-year-old forward who leads the Orlando frontline. He has five goals and an assist through 12 appearances this season, but he hasn’t scored since May 11 at Philadelphia. He scored 13 goals in 29 appearances last season and is very much an attacking threat at all times.
When They Last Met
Lest we forget last season’s Eastern Conference semifinal clash in Orlando, where the Crew beat the Lions, 2-0, after extra time. On Nov. 25, 2023, it took until the 93rd minute for Ramirez to open the scoring; Cucho added the second in the 118th minute. The massive win was the Black & Gold’s first postseason win on the road since 2002.
Match Overview
Who: Columbus Crew at Orlando City SC
When: Saturday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Inter&Co Stadium
How to Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
How to Listen: La Grande 102.5 FM | Alt 105.7 FM | iHeart Radio app
Single-Match Tickets
Secure your seat to cheer on the reigning MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field this season!
