D.C. United vs Columbus Crew Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - MLS

Columbus Crew have won four straight to climb into the Eastern Conference wild card places, and they close their home schedule at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field against a D.C. United side whose season ended on Wednesday. Columbus need the points to protect their place, and D.C. arrive with little left but pride and an attack missing the players who carry its scoring.

The Matchup

Columbus Crew are 12-5-15 and ninth in the Eastern Conference on 41 points, inside the wild card places with two matches left and the clubs behind them close enough to punish any slip. Wilfried Nancy's side have timed their run well, with four straight wins capped by a 2-0 win at FC Dallas on Wednesday, when Santiago Rodríguez scored once and set up the other and Patrick Schulte made seven saves.

D.C. United are 7-12-13 and 13th on 33 points, eliminated by Wednesday's 2-1 loss at Toronto FC, their fourth straight defeat.

Neither club has named its side yet. The expectation is Columbus in the same shape, with Rodríguez, Anass Zaroury and Gonzalo Tapia ahead of Dylan Chambost and Mohamed Farsi, who both started at Dallas. Columbus remain without Wessam Abou Ali and Rudy Camacho, and Brais Méndez is a doubt. For D.C., Louis Munteanu is ruled out and Tai Baribo is a doubt with a hip problem after sitting out at Toronto, where centre back Lucas Bartlett, with 4 goals this season, was the leading scorer in the starting side.

Key Factors

Goals have been shared around in Columbus all season, and that is the first thing to understand about this game. No Columbus player has scored more than 5 goals, with Taha Habroune, Brais Méndez and Abou Ali level on that mark, and the Crew have scored 26 goals in 16 home matches, a steady rate rather than a flood.

D.C.'s attack is thinner still. René Weiler's side have scored 39 goals in 32 matches, Baribo has 16 of them and Munteanu 6, and with Munteanu out and Baribo a doubt, the side that started at Toronto leaned on defenders and midfielders for its threat.

The counterpoint is Columbus's need. Nancy's side have to win to protect their wild card place, they will push numbers forward at home, and a D.C. side playing for pride has nothing to protect if the game opens up late. Schulte's form is the other half of the read: seven saves and a clean sheet at Dallas behind a defence that has conceded 19 goals in 16 home matches. D.C. have scored 19 goals in 16 away matches, and Columbus home games rarely turn into track meets.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.