Columbus Crew (3-0-1) travel to face off against Charlotte (1-2-1) on Saturday, March 23rd. This match will be played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. Columbus Crew is coming off a win in their previous match, while Charlotte will be looking to get back on track from a loss to the Columbus Crew. The match is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET.
Columbus Crew vs Charlotte
Columbus Crew Is Coming Off A Win
The Columbus Crew will be looking to build off their 3-0 shutout win over the New York Red Bulls. This match took place on their home pitch, and they had a money line payout of -103, which was just slightly lower than the Red Bulls.
The three combined goals surpassed the over/under line of 2.5 goals. The over/under line was right on the number of goals scored by the Crew, who took a total of 13 shots and three shots on goal.
Offensively, Cucho Hernandez was one of five different players to either score a goal or have an assist. Hernandez finished with one goal on his six total shots. Aidan Morris and Jacen Russell-Rowe also found the net for the Crew.
On the defensive end, the Crew didn’t allow the Red Bulls to take many shots, as they only had three total shots and two shots on goal. Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte finished with a clean sheet while making two saves.
Through four matches, the Columbus Crew have yet to lose, going 3-0-1, and they have won two straight matches. Their only non-win came on the road against Minnesota United FC, as they have won all three of their home matches. Overall, they are 2nd in the Eastern Conference, tied with Inter Miami CF, as both teams have 10 points. Following this match, they will head back on the road to take on Nashville SC on Sunday, March 31st.
Charlotte Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Charlotte will be looking to bounce back from a 2-1 road loss to Nashville SC. The over/under line heading into the match was 2.5 goals, and the three combined goals surpassed this figure. The payout for Charlotte on the money line was +245.
Charlotte’s attack took a total of nine shots, four of which were on goal. Brecht Dejaegere was the only player on the club to find the net, with Jere Uronen picking up the assist on Dejaegere’s score. Dejaegere took two shots and scored on both of his on-target attempts.
On the defensive end, Charlotte allowed two goals on just two shots on target from Nashville SC. Kristijan Kahlina finished with zero saves on these two shot attempts. Overall, the defense intercepted 12 passes and finished with two blocked shots.
In their first season in the MLS, Charlotte has struggled to find consistency, as they sit 11th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 1-2-1. After starting the season with a win at home over New York City FC, they have dropped two straight matches, including a 2-1 loss to Nashville SC on March 17th. Overall, they are 1-0 at home and 0-2-1 on the road. Following this match against Columbus, they will return home to take on FC Cincinnati on March 30th.
Columbus Crew Offense Breakdown
The Columbus Crew’s offense has been solid this season, ranking 8th in MLS with 1.8 goals per match. Their leading scorer is Cucho Hernández, who has found the back of the net three times, which is 7th in the league. Hernández also leads the team in shots on goal, with 10, which is tops in MLS. He also has one assist, which is 2nd on the team and 50th in the league. Overall, the Crew’s passing percentage of 86.3% is the best in MLS.
Charlotte Offense Breakdown
The Charlotte offense has struggled to find the back of the net this season, scoring just 0.8 goals per match, which is 25th in MLS. Iuri Tavares is the team’s top scorer, finding the back of the net once this season. He is also second on the team in shots on goal. Brecht Dejaegere is the team’s top playmaker, as his one assist is 21st in MLS. Overall, the team is 14th in passing percentage, and 23rd in shots on goal.
Columbus Crew Defense Breakdown
Heading into their match against the Charlotte offense, the Columbus Crew defense is currently the best in the MLS, allowing just 0.5 goals per match. They have also recorded two clean sheets, which is the second-most in the league. In their last three matches, they have given up just two goals, and they have not allowed a goal in their last match against the New York Red Bulls, who are 21st in the league in scoring. Patrick Schulte is the team’s top goalkeeper, and he is 2nd in the MLS with two clean sheets.
Charlotte Defense Breakdown
Charlotte’s defense has been solid this season, allowing just 1.0 goals per match, which is 11th in the MLS. However, they are coming off a match where they gave up two goals to Nashville SC, who is 16th in scoring. Overall, they have been consistent, giving up one goal or less in three of their four matches. Keeper Kristijan Kahlina is 13th in the MLS with one clean sheet and 24th in saves with eight. The defense will be tested by a Columbus Crew offense that is 8th in scoring.
Columbus Crew vs Charlotte Prediction
With both teams projected to finish with nine shots and two shots on goal, we have this one ending in a 1-1 draw between the Columbus Crew and Charlotte. Coming into the match, Columbus has been the better defensive team, allowing the fewest goals in the MLS this season. On the other side, Charlotte is 11th in goals allowed and Kerwin Vargas has the best chance to score for Charlotte. As for the match, Cucho Hernandez is the top projected goal scorer for the Crew.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:March 21, 2024 Charlotte FC, Columbus Crew