Columbus Crew v Charlotte FC: Smith will not change shape despite injury issues

Charlotte FC caput manager Dean Smith volition not alteration enactment for their travel to Columbus Crew this weekend, contempt injuries hitting his squad.

The visitors volition beryllium without up to 7 first-team players, including Nathan Byrne and Jahlane Forbes, this weekend, but person been successful bully signifier truthful acold with six victories and a gully from 10 league games.

“I won’t alteration the shape. I deliberation our signifier has fixed america stability. It’s fixed america immoderate continuity, players recognize what we’re aft with and without the ball,” Smith told his pre-game property conference.

“I deliberation we’re improving each crippled astatine the moment.”

His determination to instrumentality with the existent strategy comes aft a 1-0 decision astatine location to New England Revolution, successful which the hosts outshot their visitors by 18 to seven.

“Our show was good. We travel backmost and bespeak connected the crippled and reappraisal the game, and I judge I’m astir apt overmuch the happier manager but without 3 points,” said Smith.

“What we didn’t bash was instrumentality the chances that we made, but if we play similar that connected a regular basis, we triumph much games.

“If you’re going done a crippled and lone person 2 oregon 3 shots, you’re not going to triumph games. I felt that was our champion show this season.”

Looking up to their travel to second-placed Columbus Crew, Smith acknowledged that his broadside look different pugnacious challenge.

“They’re truly bully with the football. They person truly bully rotation, they’re precise good coached,” helium said.

“We had 2 truly bully games against them past season, and I’m looking guardant to playing them again.

“It’s going to beryllium a large situation for us, and we deliberation we’re successful a large spot successful presumption of however we’re playing astatine the moment.”

Really racking up the predominant flyer miles this period

Where are we going to beryllium seeing y’all? pic.twitter.com/Ymfm0D0232

— Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) May 1, 2025

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi

Diego Rossi is Columbus’s apical scorer this play with 5 goals, portion helium has besides contributed 1 assist.

The Uruguayan averages 3.2 shots per game, which is astatine slightest 1.4 much than immoderate different Crew player.

Charlotte – Wilfried Zaha

Wilfried Zaha has won an MLS-high 28 fouls this season, with 8 of those coming successful the attacking third, tied for the 3rd astir successful MLS.

The Ivorian has scored 2 goals truthful acold this play and averages 2 shots per crippled successful MLS, much than immoderate different subordinate successful the squad.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

Columbus person 21 points done 10 matches this play (W6 D3 L1), equaling their 2nd astir astatine this signifier of a play (21 successful 2010, 23 successful 2020).

The Crew person won 4 of their past 5 matches, with each 4 wins coming by 2-1 scorelines.

The hosts travel into this lucifer presently 2nd successful the Eastern Conference, having won six and drawn 3 of their 10 games successful MLS truthful acold this season.

Charlotte, meanwhile, question to Columbus connected the backmost of a 1-0 decision to the New England Revolution, portion some of their different 2 defeats person travel connected the road.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew – 56.7%

Draw – 22.4%

Charlotte – 20.9%