Published Oct 22, 4:33am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Oct 22, 4:33am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
The competitive action in the MLS Playoffs gets underway this weekend, with Inter Miami taking on Nashville in the first post-season clash.
FC Cincinnati begins their playoff campaign on Oct 27, as they host Columbus Crew in game one. The hosts enjoyed a memorable regular season campaign, winning 20 of their 34 games.
The Crew will be the outsiders in the series betting for this tie. However, confidence will be gained from their winning end to the season after beating the NY Red Bulls last Saturday.
|
|
|---|---|
| FC Cincinnati | +124 |
| The Draw | +268 |
| Columbus Crew | +200 |
FC Cincinnati have enjoyed a campaign to remember in 2025, and they only missed out on top spot in the Eastern Conference after finishing a point behind Philadelphia.
This weekend's hosts have been in excellent recent form, winning four of their last five. They rounded off their campaign with a straightforward 3-0 win over Montreal last Saturday.
Nick Hagglund and Evander both netted goals in the straightforward success. Cincinnati's offensive quality should be respected this weekend, as they have netted an average of 1.53 goals per game in 2025.
The Columbus Crew secured their spot in the automatic playoff spots on the final day of the season after claiming a hard-fought win against the NY Red Bulls.
Columbus won 14 of their 34 regular season matches in 2025, scoring an impressive 55 goals. Andres Herrera and Daniel Gazdag both scored in the 3-1 win over the Red Bulls on the final day of the season.
However, their record on the road would be a notable concern this weekend. The Crew have won just 29% of their away matches, and they have conceded a high average of 1.82 goals per game.
| TOTAL | FC Cincinnati | Columbus Crew | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 19 | 4 | 9 | 6 |
| Goals | 61 | 22 | 39 |
It could be worth noting that the Columbus Crew have avoided defeat in their last three against FC Cincinnati.
However, based on their record on the road in 2025, it would be hard to support the chances of an away win when making FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew picks this weekend. Therefore, the preference is for FC Cincinnati to make their home advantage count.
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Pick
FC Cincinnati (+124)
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