Published Nov 5, 3:28am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Nov 5, 3:28am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
An opening round shock could be on the cards in the MLS Playoffs, as FC Cincinnati suffered a humbling loss in Game Two of their series against Columbus Crew over the weekend.
FC Cincinnati had been in excellent defensive form before the previous clash between the sides. However, they had little response after shipping four goals against the Crew on Saturday.
A lot of their issues in that defeat stemmed from Yuya Kubo's red card in the 38th minute. But, the manner in which they fell apart in the second period would be a major concern ahead of this Game Three showdown.
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|
|---|---|
| FC Cincinnati | +138 |
| The Draw | +260 |
| Columbus Crew | +184 |
FC Cincinnati were one of the eye-catching teams in the MLS across the final weeks of the regular season. They appeared to be at the same level of form at the start of the playoffs after recording a 1-0 win against the Columbus Crew in Game One.
However, their excellent defensive record was decimated on Saturday, shipping four goals against the Crew. Their inability to deal with playing with a man less cost them, and they never looked comfortable after going 2-0 down.
Offensively, Cincinnati offered no threat, failing to register a single shot in the 4-0 hammering in Columbus.
The Columbus Crew were overlooked by many as a potential playoff contender when the bracket was formalized.
However, they come into this third game in the series in red-hot form, and could be considered an excellent chance to gain progression. Their offensive players sparkled in the 4-0 victory on Saturday, as they dominated the possession, and registered 20 shots.
The Crew dominated the battle in the middle of the park, and were able to get at the opposing defensive line on countless occasions. Jacen Russell-Rowe, Andres Herrera, Dylan Chambost, and Maximilian Arfsten scored the goals in the victory.
| TOTAL | Cincinnati | Columbus | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 21 | 5 | 10 | 6 |
| Goals | 66 | 23 | 43 |
Momentum is everything in the playoffs, and FC Cincinnati will come into this crucial clash with minimal confidence.
On the other hand, the Crew dismantled their rivals in game two, and their offensive quality caused no end of issues for their rivals. Therefore, an upset could be on the cards on Saturday.
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Pick
Columbus Crew (+184)
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