Preview & Prediction: Charlotte FC vs Columbus Crew

At the heart of North Carolina, the stage is set for a thrilling encounter between Charlotte FC and Columbus Crew at the Bank of America Stadium. As we unpack the data for you, the odds suggest an evenly matched battle and are, therefore, bound to create an exciting betting atmosphere. Turning back the clock to March 23rd, 2024, Charlotte and Columbus Crew had quite the standoff in MLS, with the match culminating in a 2-2 draw.

In terms of history, this pair have faced each other on the pitch 4 times in recent seasons. Out of these encounters, both teams have tasted victory once, with 2 games ending all level. Taking into account Charlotte’s average home performance and Columbus Crew’s stellar away form, this fixture promises to be an interesting one.

Past clashes between Charlotte and Columbus Crew have averaged 3.25 goals per game, with both teams scoring in 75% of matches. For the current MLS season, home matches have seen Charlotte average 1.67 points per game, whereas for Columbus Crew, this number climbs to 2.5 points per game on their travels.

Insights

• The upcoming match between Charlotte FC and Columbus Crew is expected to be closely contested as evident from their odds.
• Their previous encounter ended in a draw with a scoreline of Charlotte FC 2-2 Columbus Crew.
• Out of the 4 encounters between these teams in the past few seasons, both teams have secured a victory each with 2 matches ending in a draw, indicating a balanced competition.
• Charlotte FC’s home performances have been average, while Columbus Crew has been performing exceptionally well in away matches.
• The matches between these two teams have been relatively high scoring, with an average of 3.25 goals per match.
• These matches have also seen both teams scoring 75% of the time, suggesting the likelihood of an offensive match.
• So far, in this season of the MLS, Columbus Crew has averaged higher points per game in away matches (2.5) compared to Charlotte’s average of 1.67 points per game in home matches. This could indicate a slight edge for Columbus Crew in the upcoming match.

Match Forecast

• Charlotte FC may try to exploit Columbus Crew’s weakness in aerial duels by making frequent crosses and long balls.
• Expecting a possession-based game from Columbus Crew, considering their style of short passes and non-aggressive play.
• Charlotte FC might proceed with a defensive strategy initially due to their strength in protecting the lead and Columbus Crew’s strong attack.
• Charlotte FC’s attempts to make through balls might turn out ineffective given Columbus Crew’s strong defense against set pieces.
• Columbus Crew may dominate the wings due to their strength in attacking down the wings.
• Charlotte FC, whose strength is playing with width, could counteract Columbus’s wing attacks.
• Columbus Crew will likely exploit their ability to create long shot opportunities against Charlotte FC’s weak finishing skills.
• Both teams are likely to focus attacks down the right side due to their respective playing styles.
• Charlotte FC, having a consistent first eleven, might have better team coordination and understanding than Columbus Crew.
• Due to Columbus Crew’s weakness in avoiding offside, Charlotte FC’s defense may attempt to use the offside trap strategy.

Match Facts

Looking at the past five matches, both Charlotte FC and Columbus Crew have secured victory once, with three ties, and Columbus Crew just edging out in the goal difference 7-6. Taking a closer view to previous season, the teams secured home victories with Charlotte FC winning 1-0 and Columbus Crew taking a win with 4-2 scoreline. Recently, Charlotte FC’s home performances have been impressive, striking three consecutive wins and not tasting defeat in their last 13 home games. On the other side, Columbus Crew have showcased their resilience as they have managed to avoid defeat in their last nine outings. Also, their performance on the road is commendable, not losing any of their past four away games and they’ve kept their score board ticking in 19 straight matches. Comparing the half-time performances, Columbus Crew dominate Charlotte FC with a 46% win ratio in the 1st half against Charlotte’s 29%. When last these two met, Columbus Crew walked away with a 2-goal victory. Home or away, both teams have shown recovery potential when trailing. However, Charlotte shows greater resurgence at home, winning 69% and 50% of their matches when they lead or trail 1-0 respectively. In contrast, Columbus Crew, while away, manages only a 50% win when leading 1-0 and a slender 14% comeback when they fall 1-0 behind. The MLS stats suggest that Columbus Crew are faring better that Charlotte FC, a trend mirrored in their last five match performances. From a wider perspective, in a match played between these two, Charlotte FC tend to score 1.2 goals to Columbus’s 1.4 goals, with an overall average goal tally of 2.6 per match. Breaking down the goal stats further, on an average, 1.2 goals per game are scored in the first half. When considering home and away stats separately, Charlotte scores on average 1.74 goals at home, whereas Columbus Crew notch up 1.76 goals per game while playing away.