Chicago Fire Chi vs Columbus Crew Sc Clb Picks and Predictions May 18th 2024

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Columbus Crew, Fresh off Ending Slide, Face Struggling Fire

Introduction

The Columbus Crew are looking to build on a much-needed win and take advantage of a struggling opponent for the second match in a row when they play the Chicago Fire on Saturday. The Crew (4-2-6, 18 points) snapped their own winless streak with a 3-1 victory over CF Montreal on Wednesday, extending Montreal’s winless run to five matches.

Columbus Crew’s Recent Performance

Boosting Confidence

The match against Montreal was the first of five straight on the road, where the Crew are 1-1-3. “It was a massive result for us confidence-wise and otherwise, because we have a hard stretch of games coming up,” Crew midfielder Max Arfsten said. “We have away Chicago and then away Orlando, so our mentality is just no matter what happens, we have to react in the right way.”

Chicago Fire’s Recent Performance

Struggling to Find Form

The Fire (2-7-4, 10 points) are in an even tougher spot than Montreal. A 1-0 home loss to Charlotte FC on Wednesday put them at 0-4-2 in their past six matches since April 6, leaving coach Frank Klopas searching for answers. “The only thing I can tell you is, we have to keep trying,” he said. “But right now, the team is really, you know, the confidence level is really low. And you can just see that nothing’s really working for us.”

Klopas emphasized the responsibility he feels to turn things around. “We just haven’t found the right formula and it’s a lot on my shoulders. It’s on my shoulders to find that. And when it’s not going right, it does sit at home more and more emotionally because of how I feel about the club.”

Key Players and Injuries

Columbus Crew

The Crew have reasons to feel optimistic, especially since they scored three goals against Montreal while their leading scorer Cucho Hernandez stayed back in Columbus to rest a sore back. Coach Wilfried Nancy said Hernandez might be available on Saturday. Diego Rossi was one of the players to step up, scoring his first MLS goal of the season. “I think I help the team in other ways,” Rossi said. “The most important thing is the team, in this case, that we will get the win. It doesn’t matter who scores the goal or who assists.”

Chicago Fire

Hugo Cuypers and Brian Gutierrez share the team lead for Chicago with three goals each. The Fire will need strong performances from these players to overcome their current slump and secure a much-needed victory.

Future Implications

Maintaining Momentum

As the Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire prepare for their clash, both teams have different motivations. The Crew aim to build on their recent victory and continue their upward trajectory, while the Fire look to break their winless streak and regain confidence.

Conclusion

With the Columbus Crew looking to maintain their momentum and the Chicago Fire desperate for a turnaround, Saturday’s match promises to be a crucial encounter for both teams. Key players’ performances and strategic adjustments will be essential as they vie for much-needed points in the standings.

WinningCappers, The most trusted name in sports handicapping
Fri, May 17, 14:15 pm.
spread
moneyline
over/under
Chicago Fire CHI
-
-
-
O 3
118
Columbus Crew SC CLB
-
-
-
U 3
-135
Geovanny Araya | Handicapper

Born and raised in Spain, Geovanny is one of the leading soccer experts at Sports Hub. He has consistently found winners betting on soccer leagues all around the world. He crunches hundreds of data points to identify winners in the Premier League, MLS and even smaller leagues.

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