Despite one loss in 13 games, Columbus Crew have just six points in five games heading into FC Cincinnati's biggest MLS home game in club history.
Their 5-1-7 record in the past 13 games has put them above the playoff line. But just six points in the past five games has placed the Crew in the middle of a logjam of teams in the Eastern Conference with nine games to play.
"Our chemistry is good. I think there's been a lot of fight with this team, and I think that's might've been lost in the shuffle a little bit,” Crew coach Caleb Porter said. “But we don't care about that. We just show up and put our money where our mouth is, and we got to get the job done in this game.”
— outside of Aidan Morris stepping in for Artur, who is suspended one match due to yellow-card accumulation. Will Sands also will start for Pedro Santos, who is out with a thigh injury.