Something must surely give when two in-form MLS sides go head to head at the Mapfre Stadium on Sunday evening, with Columbus Crew hosting FC Cincinnati.
The hosts have not lost in their last seven outings, and welcome a Cincinnati side that have struggled to register all three points of late, but have also enjoyed an impressive unbeaten spell.
Match preview
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Columbus were twice pegged back in their draw at DC United on Wednesday evening, who had just been humiliated 7-0 at Philadelphia Union before appointing Wayne Rooney as their new manager.
Cucho Hernandez scored an excellent goal in his second game for the Crew just a week after joining from recently-relegated Watford in England, providing his new side with the lead in the capital.
Despite surviving a conceded penalty inside the second 45, Caleb Porter's side were pegged back 10 minutes from time after significant amounts of pressure throughout the match from DC.
However, Hernandez netted his second of the night, and third goal in two games, to cap a scintillating week for the Colombian just a minute later, before Ola Kamara denied the Crew all three points in the second minute of injury time.
Porter will have been disappointed with his side's failure to see out the remainder of the game, but a win would have arguably not been deserved based on the balance of play over the 90 minutes.
Sunday's hosts remain on a strong run of form in recent weeks though, after overcoming a poor spell of just one win in 10 games across all competitions prior to it, which has seen them climb back up the table and to within playoff contention once more.
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Meanwhile, visitors Cincinnati find themselves two places, but just one point, above their hosts at the time of writing.
The Orange and Blue have already surpassed their points tallies recorded in their opening three seasons in the MLS, following an excellent start to the 2022 campaign.
Pat Noonan's side may have won just once in their past eight fixtures, but they do find themselves in the middle of a six-game unbeaten run following draws in five of their last six outings, including four on the bounce.
An improvement in front of goal has seen Cincinnati only bettered by four teams across the entire MLS in terms of goals scored, of which 32 have been netted in their 20 fixtures to date, but a leaky back line, particularly of late, is what has denied Noonan's men all three points on several occasions.
This was largely the case last time out, when Cincinnati were twice pegged back to draw 2-2 at home to an equally in-form Vancouver Whitecaps side on Wednesday night.
Alvaro Barreal and Brandon Vazquez got themselves amongst the goals at the TQL Stadium, with the latter's being his 10th league goal of the campaign already, and the American's relationship with Brenner up front has continued to improve in recent weeks, providing plenty of hope for their side's unbeaten run to continue for many more weeks to come yet.
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Team News
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Columbus have closed in on a fully-fit squad ahead of Sunday's encounter with Cincinnati, with Jonathan Mensah set to return from his one-match suspension served in midweek.
Milos Degenek failed a late fitness test for the trip to DC, but the central defender is expected to return to the side to allow Porter to revert back to his preferred three-man back line.
However, Artur and Alexandru Matan remain highly doubtful to return from their recent absences.
As for the visitors, they will welcome back captain, and star playmaker, Luciano Acosta to their starting lineup on Sunday, after the Argentinian missed out in midweek due to suspension.
Allan Cruz should also immediately return to the starting 11 after serving a suspension of his own for the draw with Vancouver, but Ronald Matarrita and Dominique Badji remain sidelined through injury.
Alec Kann and Alvas Powell continue to remain doubtful after missing much of the last few months through injury and illness, and the absence of Junior Moreno in central midfield could be another blow, should he miss out with a leg injury once again.
Sergio Santos made a brief debut off the bench against Vancouver, but the forward was substituted off late on due to a knock, and he remains doubtful for the trip to Columbus as a result.
Columbus Crew possible starting lineup:
Room; Mensah, Williams, Degenek; Moreira, Nagbe, Morris, Igbekeme, Santos; Zelarayan, Hernandez
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentano; Hagglund, Cameron, Blackett; Gaddis, Nwobodo, Cruz, Nelson; Acosta; Vazquez, Brenner
We say: Columbus Crew 2-2 FC Cincinnati
Both of these sides have found themselves amongst the goals at both ends of the pitch of late, and for that reason, we are predicting for this to be an open and entertaining affair on Sunday.
Although it appears that something must give between two sides on impressive unbeaten runs, because of this, we are going for a draw at the Mapfre Stadium as a result of the two in-form teams cancelling each other out.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
