The Columbus Crew's MLS Cup title defence came crashing to a halt as they were eliminated from the playoffs following a penalty shoot-out defeat to the New York Red Bulls.

Following a surprise home defeat in Game 1, Wilfried Nancy's champions needed a road win in Game 2 to keep their season alive, but Yevhen Cheberko, Max Arfsten and Alexandru Matan all saw their spot-kicks repelled by Carlos Coronel following a pulsating 2-2 draw.

Arfsten had earlier given Columbus a 55th-minute lead moments after stepping off the bench, only for Dante Vanzeir to drill home a swift equaliser.

New York looked set to advance when Emil Forsberg's 80th-minute penalty completed the turnaround, but another Crew substitute, Christian Ramirez, headed home six minutes into second-half stoppage time to force the shoot-out.

Columbus couldn't keep up their momentum from 12 yards, though, with Colonel's three saves proving vital as New York won it at the second time of asking, Daniel Edelman scoring the decisive kick after Sean Nealis had failed to do so.

Elsewhere, the Seattle Sounders also needed penalties to dump the Houston Dynamo out in round one, prevailing from the spot for the second game in a row.

Seattle's Cristian Roldan scored at both ends, slotting home an 87th-minute opener only to put through his own net three minutes into stoppage time, turning in Griffin Dorsey's cross.

The first 13 penalties in the shoot-out were all scored, but Tate Schmitt was the unfortunate man to see his spot-kick saved, Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei pushing it away to send his team to the Western Conference semifinals.

Finally, Ryan Gauld scored and forced two own goals as the Vancouver Whitecaps kept their best-of-three series against Los Angeles FC alive with a 3-0 triumph at BC Place.

The Scotland midfielder powered home after 10 minutes and, just 180 seconds later, saw his long-range effort deflected past Hugo Lloris by the unwitting Ryan Hollingshead.

Denis Bouanga twice went close for the Western Conference's top seeds after the break before Gauld was involved again in Vancouver's third goal, seeing a cross go in off the heel of Eddie Segura.

The teams will now reconvene for a third match next week, with the victors set to face Seattle in the next round.

Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy's main message to players and fans ahead of Game 2 against the New York Red Bulls in the MLS playoffs was not to panic.

The Crew, the MLS Cup holders, lost 1-0 in Game 1 at Lower.com Field, having beaten the Red Bulls 3-2 on the road on Decision Day little over a week beforehand to finish five places above them in the Eastern Conference.

They also had plenty of chances to get level in their playoff opener, but were kept out by great goalkeeping.

“They did what is Red Bulls style,” Nancy told the Crew's official website.

“I think that we had many, many chances so we should score at least one goal. I don't forget that they had the run in behind that was clear, and maybe they could score, but I think that we can score a minimum of one goal.

“Listen, we attacked the box, they defended well. I think that in terms of finishing we could have been better at certain moments, but we're going to address certain things.”

The result on Tuesday means that Game 2 at Red Bull Arena is now a playoff eliminator for the Crew, but the coach was not going to make major changes to their approach.

“It doesn't change,” said Nancy.

“The message that I have is to stay calm. Stay calm because again, the game was the game that we wanted to do, except the finishing and also the goal that we conceded.”

Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz was not getting carried away with the result either, despite leading 1-0 in the series and hosting Game 2.

“This is one step and we have to continue this and prepare very seriously for Sunday, the next game in our stadium,” he told a press conference.

The Red Bulls' victory at Lower.com Field constituted the first big shock of the playoffs and they have an opportunity to create another, knowing victory would knock Columbus out.

But the magnitude of the task at hand was not lost on Schwarz.

“What I can say is we need everyone in our stadium, everyone in our stadium to support the whole team, because it's a big opportunity,” he said.

“It's a big game on Sunday. We must prepare these days now, for a good recovery, good video meeting, and good video session.

“What we must adapt in some moments and then on Sunday is kick-off. We need everyone in the stadium to create this atmosphere, the special atmosphere, which you need against Columbus.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

New York Red Bulls - Lewis Morgan

Morgan leads the goalscoring charts for the New York Red Bulls with 13 goals in MLS this season.

Six of those goals have been the first of the match and another opener in this fixture could be the beginning of the end for their opponents' playoff ambitions.

Columbus Crew - Cucho Hernandez

Hernandez finished the regular season as the Crew's top scorer with 19 goals in MLS, one behind Lionel Messi and four back from top scorer Christian Benteke.

He rounded off with six goals in his final six matches, while he had six shots on goal against the Red Bulls in Game 1.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW

The Crew's three-match winning streak was snapped last time out, but they were MLS Cup champions in 2023 and finished second to Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference this season.

Their defeat in Game 1 was just their seventh loss in 48 matches in all competitions in 2024. Columbus have not lost back-to-back matches since May 2023, while their last away defeat came in July.

The Red Bulls are winless in seven straight home games (D4 L3), which is their longest such run at home since 2004-05.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

New York Red Bulls - 26.2%

Draw - 23.5%

Columbus Crew - 50.3%

Felipe Carballo's first MLS goal secured New York Red Bulls a 1-0 triumph over reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew in the first match of their best-of-three series.

Carballo, on loan from Brazilian side Gremio, netted the only goal of the game in the 25th minute, volleying the ball beyond Patrick Schulte at Lower.com Field. 

It marked the Red Bulls' first win over Columbus in the postseason, with the Crew having won their previous four playoff meetings before Tuesday. 

But the visitors were indebted to their goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, who made eight saves throughout the contest to put the Red Bulls one game up ahead of the second leg.

The Crew mustered 15 shots, with eight on target, accumulating an expected goals (xG) total of 0.77, though the Red Bulls managed a 0.85 xG with only three attempts on target.

In the other playoff game, Jefferson Diaz converted the decisive spot-kick for Minnesota United as they came out 5-4 victors in a penalty shootout against Real Salt Lake. 

Diaz slotted home his penalty before Braian Ojeda struck the woodwork with Salt Lake's final effort, putting the Loons a game up in their best-of-three series. 

In an evenly contested affair at America First Field, chances were aplenty, with Kelvin Yeboah and Cristian Arango squandering the best opportunities for their sides. 

Minnesota and Salt Lake tied three times in the regular season, and again could not be separated after 90 minutes. 

Both teams missed in the third round of the shootout as Minnesota captain Michael Boxall and Salt Lake's Justen Glad failed to convert from 12 yards. 

But the Loons held their nerve, earning a vital victory in the first postseason encounter between the two sides. 

Emil Forsberg believes the New York Red Bulls have the capacity to hurt the Columbus Crew in Game 1 of their MLS playoff tie, despite a poor end to the regular season.

The Red Bulls finished seventh in the Eastern Conference despite only winning one of 10 matches after the Leagues Cup break, finishing their campaign with a 3-2 defeat at home to the Crew, in which Forsberg scored.

They will now face the MLS Cup holders again in a three-match first-round series, and Forsberg believes they have shown they can get at Wilfried Nancy's champions.

"I think we were dangerous, we hurt them, we created chances and we showed them and ourselves what we can do when we play with that kind of intensity," Forsberg said.

"We're a really good team when we can do that, and we know we can hurt them. We have a lot to take with us into the playoffs.

"When it comes to the playoffs, it's small details, whether you have your day or not, whether you're mentally prepared for every situation that can occur.

"That's something I'm going to push with the guys."

Nancy, meanwhile, was pleased to see Columbus tested in their final regular-season game, as New York recovered from 2-0 down to level before Malte Andersen hit a last-gasp winner.

"Yeah, we had many highs, and after that, we had 10 minutes where we allowed New York to play their style, and they did it well," Nancy said after the match. 

"I'm happy that it happened, to be honest with you, because we played a really good first half. After that, the second half was also interesting. 

"This is perfect because sometimes we have to feel certain things to get better. We found a way to win the game, and this is also good for team spirit."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Columbus Crew – Cucho Hernandez

Hernandez's assist against the Red Bulls last week was his 32nd goal contribution of 2024 (19 goals, 13 assists), breaking Stern John's Crew record of 31 set in 1998. 

The forward has five goal contributions against New York (two goals, three assists), only totalling more against Atlanta (eight) and Orlando (seven).

New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg

Forsberg scored both of the Red Bulls' goals in their 3-2 defeat to the Crew on Decision Day, and only Lewis Morgan (13) has bettered his nine strikes for the team in 2024.

MATCH PREDICTION – COLUMBUS CREW WIN

The Red Bulls won just 18 points from their final 18 regular-season matches of 2024 (three wins, nine draws, six defeats). 

They were one of nine teams to collect 20 points or fewer since that run began in early June, but the only one of those nine sides to make the playoffs.

Having lost 3-2 to the Crew in their last game, they approach this one as major outsiders. The Red Bulls have lost each of their last six away playoff matches dating back to 2018, being outscored 15-5 in those matches. 

The Crew, meanwhile, have won the MLS Cup in each of the last two seasons in which they made the playoffs (2020, 2023), advancing from eight consecutive playoff ties. This equals the best such run in MLS history, after D.C. United won eight straight ties from 1996 to 1998.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew – 64.3%

New York Red Bulls – 16.6%

Draw – 19.1%

Wilfried Nancy insisted that Columbus Crew’s record MLS win tally achieved in their last game was secondary ahead of their final game before the playoffs.

The Crews’ 4-0 win over New England Revolution before the international break was their 18th of the season, while also setting a new best of 69 goals scored in regular-season play.

Nancy’s side are guaranteed second in the Eastern Conference and will play this weekend’s opponents, New York Red Bulls, in the first round of the playoffs.

The Crew head coach lauded his players for their contribution to the season, saying: “Listen, this is not easy, but this is the challenge. The challenge is, yes, we have few players who played a lot, it's normal, but everybody knows their role, I would say.

“The idea is also to be honest with the players. After that, in terms of results, I don't know, but the performance for me is really important. I'm really happy when I can see any kind of player that I can put in and they bring something. For me, this is the key point.

“[Saturday], this is not about New England, this is not about the opposition - this is about the fans. This is about the people who try to fight to keep the club. I'm really pleased for that.”

NYRB, meanwhile, come into the encounter on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Atlanta United, but have already guaranteed their spot in the postseason.

Despite the loss, head coach Sandro Schwarz was pleased with his side’s display, but acknowledged they must be more clinical in the final third.

"We had the penalty situation then, and we scored two times," Schwarz said. "But for me, the behaviour after that was good, the behaviour that we are fighting together, that we have the energy, but we need this energy at the beginning, directly in the game."

And Red Bulls defender Sean Nealis is relishing the opportunity of facing Columbus, believing a win will give the group positive momentum moving forward.

"That's what you want as a player, as a competitor, you want to go up against the best," Nealis said. "And they're defending champs. They had a great year last year. They had some great games this year, earlier in the year, they beat us, so we want to kind of avenge that.

“And I think if we end up playing them, we're looking forward to that. They're a great team but we're confident in ourselves, and we'll be ready for the challenge when the time comes."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

NYRB – Lewis Morgan

Morgan enters the final match of the season with 18 goal contributions in 2024 (13 goals, five assists).

No Red Bulls player has tallied 20 goal contributions in a single regular season since Bradley Wright-Phillips (28) and Kaku (20) did so in 2018.

Columbus Crew – Alexandru Matan

Matan scored his first hat-trick with Columbus on Saturday, the second Crew player with a hat-trick this season after Cucho Hernandez.

This is the second time in team history that two Crew players have scored a hat-trick in a single season (Edson Buddle and Ross Paule in 2004).

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

While the Crew are favoured by Opta’s data-led simulations, The Red Bulls have lost only four of their last 27 home matches against Columbus in all competitions (W17 D6) dating back to September 2003.

NYRB have scored at least once in 26 of those 27 matches, including in 21 straight, last failing to score at home against the Crew in 2006, while they have also lost only eight times all season, with only four teams having fewer defeats in 2024.

However, Schwarz’s side face a tough task stopping the Crew. Columbus’ win over New England on Saturday was the team’s seventh game with at least four goals this season. Only three teams in MLS history have scored at least four goals in more matches in a single season.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

NYRB – 26.3%

Draw – 23.6%

Columbus Crew – 50.1%

The Columbus Crew ended their home regular-season campaign on a high note by thrashing the New England Revolution 4-0.

Reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus had already sealed their playoff spot and a regular-season club-record tally of points prior to Saturday's fixture at Lower.com Field.

Yet Wilfried Nancy's team did not let up as Alexandru Matan's hat-trick propelled them to an emphatic victory over a New England side that must lick their wounds after a dismal season.

DeJuan Jones got the ball rolling with a sublime curler in the fourth minute, with Matan subsequently taking centre-stage.

The Romanian drilled home a low finish in the 14th minute, before doubling his tally from close range in the 64th.

Matan should have scored a third when he was put through one-on-one with Aljaz Ivacic, only to fire straight at the goalkeeper, but the hat-trick strike did arrive when he capitalised on a similar chance soon after.

While New England's only target in their final game of the season is to try and move above Nashville SC at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Crew will aim to keep up the momentum heading into the postseason when they visit the New York Red Bulls.

Data Debrief: Free-scoring Crew in fine form

The Crew have now won four of their last seven MLS games, and have scored in each of their last six, netting 17 times in total (an average of 2.8 per game).

They have also kept it tight at the back this season, with Saturday's clean sheet marking their 12th shutout of the campaign, a tally bettered only by the Seattle Sounders (13).

New England, meanwhile, have failed to score in 10 of their 33 games in 2024. Only Nashville (11) have failed to score more often in the MLS this season.

Wilfried Nancy wants his Columbus Crew team to continue their consistency after reaching a club-record points haul in a regular MLS season last time out.

The Crew’s 3-2 win over Philadelphia Union on Saturday took them to 60 points in the campaign, marking their 17th win of the term, also equalling the club’s single-season record set in 2008.

Columbus knows that a point will be enough to guarantee second place in the Eastern Conference ahead of the playoffs, with Nancy expressing his delight about his squad’s ability to adapt to this campaign’s hectic schedule.

“This is the idea – all the time try to grow and seek for improvement,” Nancy said. “That's why I'm really happy about this because we play 46 games.

“Last year at this moment, we didn't play the same amount of games. We have wins and we have also more points.

“For me, this is the consistency of what we are able to do, and also, this is a fact that my players want to get better. They accept all the challenges that my staff and I try to give them. For me, I'm really, really happy with that because this is so difficult.”

At the opposite end of the table, New England’s struggles continued as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to D.C. United, with Pedro Santos and Christian Benteke’s early strikes doing the damage.

The Revs have already been eliminated from the playoffs and sit just one point ahead of bottom club Chicago Fire ahead of their two final regular-season matches.

And with a trip to league leaders Inter Miami on the final day, head coach Caleb Porter said that his players have no time to feel sorry for themselves after an underwhelming campaign.

“I expect the mentality to be good. For me, nothing changes. I think about doing your job and being a pro and having pride at the end of the day,” Porter said.

“It does not matter whether you are happy or sad, it’s about doing your job. We’re still building for the future. I expect these guys to have a good mentality.

“I expect them to be motivated and wanting to do well and I expect them to have pride in their profession. I expect the group to show that they want to be here.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi

In the absence of top scorer Cucho Hernandez, who is away on international duty with Colombia, the Crew have a capable back-up in Rossi, who has 12 goals and eight assists in 32 regular-season appearances this season.

The Uruguayan has seven goal involvements in his four appearances against the Revs (three goals, four assists), only contributing more goals against the LA Galaxy (11), San Jose Earthquakes (nine) and Houston Dynamo (eight) in the MLS.

New England Revolution – Giacomo Vrioni  

In a largely disappointing season for the Revs, Vrioni has been a shining light, scoring nine goals in his 29 MLS appearances this term.

The Albanian, however, has failed to beat this weekend’s opponents in his four appearances against them (D2 L2), while also failing to score since a 5-0 win over CF Montreal in August.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

Columbus are unbeaten in nine straight home matches against the Revolution (W5 D4), though the last three meetings have all ended in draws. Both teams' last win over the other in Columbus came in the playoffs; a 2020 Conference Final win for the Crew and a 2014 Conference semi-final win for the Revolution.

New England’s minus 29 goal difference (35 scored, 64 conceded) is on pace to be the worst in club history (-20 in 2011). The Revs have allowed more goals in a single season just once before (66 in 1998).

The Revs' defeat to D.C. on Saturday was the club’s 19th of the campaign, extending a single-season high for the Revolution. They have lost their last four away from home, being outscored, 11-1, in those games.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew – 70.9%

Draw – 16.5%

New England Revolution – 12.5%

Lionel Messi is one of 23 players to be nominated for the 2024 MLS MVP award, being joined on the shortlist by Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez.

Messi is considered the leading candidate to win the league's top individual prize after scoring 17 goals and contributing 10 assists in just 18 regular-season matches this year.

The Argentina legend has missed large chunks of the campaign through injury, recently sitting out two months with an ankle problem he sustained while representing his country in the Copa America final.

Yet only four players – D.C. United's Christian Benteke (23), Los Angeles FC's Denis Bouanga, the Columbus Crew's Cucho Hernandez (both 19) and Suarez (18) – have outscored him this term, and he also sits joint-eighth in the assist charts.

Suarez is the other Miami player to be nominated for the prize, having put himself in Golden Boot contention in his first season in the United States.

The Uruguayan's 18 league goals have come from chances with a total expected goals (xG) value of 12.04, giving him an overperformance of 5.96.

Only New York City's Alonso Martinez (6.13, 16 goals from 9.87 xG) and Messi (6.08, 17 from 10.92 xG) have overperformed their underlying figures by a greater margin.

Suarez is also up for the league's Newcomer of the Year award, alongside players including Hugo Lloris of LAFC and the Galaxy's leading scorer Gabriel Pec.

Last season's MVP, FC Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta, is in the running for the top prize once more after providing more direct goal involvements (30, 14 goals, 16 assists) than any other player in the league.

With Miami winning the Supporters' Shield and remaining on course to break the league's single-season points record (73 by the 2021 New England Revolution), head coach Gerardo Martino has been nominated for the Coach of the Year award.

The Colorado Rapids' Chris Armas, Greg Vanney of the LA Galaxy and the Columbus Crew's Wilfried Nancy are considered among the other leading contenders.

Despite boasting a strong road record this season, Jim Curtin still believes Philadelphia Union can do better in their final away match against Columbus Crew.

The Union lost their most recent road outing, falling 2-1 to Orlando City in midweek, but had only lost one of their previous three such games before that.

They are one of three teams currently on 37 points in the Eastern Conference, but sit 10th, below Toronto FC due to winning fewer games.

Curtin knows they need to win their last two matches and hopes they can improve on Wednesday's performance.

"I think our road record has been good enough this year," Curtin said. "Overall, at this stage of the year, as you know, the margins are razor-thin.

"We have to do a better job in the attacking end and also defending our box because the goals we concede, we could just do a lot better on it.

"Obviously, we'll look at it, try and get ready, regroup, and go against Columbus very quickly."

Meanwhile, Columbus had a four-match unbeaten streak snapped by their 3-2 defeat to Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami.

With three games left, they are looking to secure second in the table to give themselves a stronger playoff position.

Wilfried Nancy was disappointed by the defeat to Miami but hopes they can show their fighting spirit in what he expects to be another tough game.

"We know we're able to compete against top teams, and we showed that against Miami. The next game is going to be another story," he said.

"They may not have [Lionel] Messi, but they have good players. We have no problem with competing, and even with 10 men in the last game, we were still proactive, we were brave and courageous."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi

Diego Rossi scored his 12th goal of the season for the Crew on Wednesday, his fourth MLS season with 12 or more goals.

Only six players in league history have more seasons with 12 or more goals than Rossi.

Philadelphia Union – Mikael Uhre

Mikael Uhre has four goals and four assists in his last nine MLS appearances, including an assist on the Union’s lone goal on Wednesday.

Uhre has contributed to at least one goal in seven of those nine matches.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

Columbus are unbeaten in 10 straight home matches against the Union in all competitions (W6 D4), including a 3-1 win in the Leagues Cup semifinals on August 21. The Union's last win at Columbus was a 2-1 victory at Historic Crew Stadium in August 2016.

However, Columbus have lost two of their last three regular-season home matches (W1) after losing just one of their previous 24 at Lower.com Field in league play. The Crew have allowed 10 goals over the three games after letting in nine goals in its first 12 home matches this season.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia's defeat to Orlando City on Wednesday was their 13th loss of the campaign to go along with only nine wins. This will be the first time since 2017 that Philadelphia will have more losses than wins over a single regular season.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew – 58%

Draw – 21.8%

Philadelphia Union – 20.2%

Lionel Messi scored twice and Luis Suarez got the winner as Inter Miami beat 10-man Columbus Crew 3-2 to claim the Supporters' Shield in MLS.

After three straight draws, Miami needed a victory to guarantee they got their hands on the shield, which is awarded to MLS' best team in the regular season, and they got over the line in frantic fashion on Wednesday.

Miami's goals came between the 45th and 48th minute, with Messi, who had not recorded a direct goal contribution in any of his last three away appearances, netting the opening two.

Having already teed up a Diego Gomez goal that was disallowed, Messi engineered space in the box to drill home and break the deadlock, before doubling his tally five minutes later with a sensational free-kick.

Diego Rossi dragged the Crew back into it straight after the restart, but parity lasted just two minutes as Suarez capitalised on an error from Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.

Cucho Hernandez, who had a goal ruled out for offside in the first half, converted a penalty to reduce the arrears yet again, only for the Crew to go down to 10 when Rudy Camacho picked up two bookings in the space of four minutes.

There was to be more drama, though, as Miami defender Ian Fray was judged to have handled in the area, yet this time, Drake Callender guessed correctly to deny Hernandez and ensure victory for Miami.

Data Debrief: Record points total within reach

That is Miami's second piece of silverware in the bag, after their Leagues Cup triumph last year, and the Herons' focus will now switch to an MLS record.

If they win their remaining two games before the postseason, against Toronto FC and New England Revolution, Miami will set the MLS regular-season points record, overtaking the tally of 73 set by the Revolution in 2021.

Lionel Messi scored twice and Luis Suarez got the winner as Inter Miami beat 10-man Columbus Crew 3-2 to claim the Supporters' Shield in MLS.

After three straight draws, Miami needed a victory to guarantee they got their hands on the shield, which is awarded to MLS' best team in the regular season, and they got over the line in frantic fashion on Wednesday.

Miami's goals came between the 45th and 48th minute, with Messi, who had not recorded a direct goal contribution in any of his last three away appearances, netting the opening two.

Having already teed up a Diego Gomez goal that was disallowed, Messi engineered space in the box to drill home and break the deadlock, before doubling his tally five minutes later with a sensational free-kick.

Diego Rossi dragged the Crew back into it straight after the restart, but parity lasted just two minutes as Suarez capitalised on an error from Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.

Cucho Hernandez, who had a goal ruled out for offside in the first half, converted a penalty to reduce the arrears yet again, only for the Crew to go down to 10 when Rudy Camacho picked up two bookings in the space of four minutes.

There was to be more drama, though, as Miami defender Ian Fray was judged to have handled in the area, yet this time, Drake Callender guessed correctly to deny Hernandez and ensure victory for Miami.

Data Debrief: Record points total within reach

That is Miami's second piece of silverware in the bag, after their Leagues Cup triumph last year, and the Herons' focus will now switch to an MLS record.

If they win their remaining two games before the postseason, against Toronto FC and New England Revolution, Miami will set the MLS regular-season points record, overtaking the tally of 73 set by the Revolution in 2021.

Jordi Alba says claiming the Supporters' Shield would be "a nice achievement" for Inter Miami, but his main goal is the MLS Cup.

A run of three straight draws has seen Miami's bid to wrap up the Supporters' Shield put on ice over recent weeks.

Miami face the Columbus Crew—the reigning MLS Cup champions—on Wednesday, knowing one more win would see them clinch the Shield.

It would also keep them on track to break the regular-season points record of 73, which was set by the New England Revolution in 2021. Miami must win all three of their remaining games before the playoffs in order to break that record.

But former Barcelona full-back Alba has one main goal in mind.

"We hope to win against a great team like Columbus, and we will go in with a winning mentality," Alba said.

"Winning the Supporters' Shield would be a nice achievement in the club's history, but in the end, what we want to win is the MLS Cup."

While his team have had a series of blips as of late, coach Gerardo Martino says Miami's accomplishments this season must not be underestimated, even if they have Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Alba among their ranks.

He said: "When a team like Inter has 65 points and has lost only four matches all season and you compare it with teams from previous seasons, we should recognise all the good things we have accomplished this season."

Midfielder Matias Rojas knows history beckons on Wednesday.

"It's a great opportunity for us," he said. 

"We're taking it step by step. This team has built itself one step at a time. So, on Wednesday, we will go to win and achieve that goal."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Columbus Crew - Cucho Hernandez

Hernandez recorded a goal and an assist on Saturday to take his total to 28 goal contributions on the season (16 goals 12 assists).

Only Stern John (31 in 1998) and Kei Kamara (30 in 2015) have recorded more goal contributions for the Crew in a single regular season.

Inter Miami - Lionel Messi

Messi, who netted against Charlotte FC last time out, has not recorded a direct goal contribution in any of his last three away appearances for Miami, last directly contributing to a goal for the Herons away from Chase Stadium on April 27.

The Argentine great had contributed to at least one goal in 19 of his previous 21 road league matches dating back to 2022 and his time with Paris Saint-Germain (34 total).

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS WIN

This is certainly set to be a tough test for Miami, and Opta's predictive model actually backs the reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus.

The Crew have lost only two of their last 40 home matches in all competitions dating back to May 2023 (W27 D11). They have scored three or more goals in 16 of those 40 matches, including in their last home match, a 4-3 win over Orlando City on September 21.

Columbus have also won three of their four home matches against Inter Miami, including a 3-2 win in the Leagues Cup Round of 16 on August 13. Miami's lone triumph in Columbus was a 2-1 victory in April 2023.

Peculiarly, Miami have won only one of the last six matches in which Messi has appeared (D4 L1) including drawing the last three in a row. The last time Messi played four straight club matches without a win in a single season was in March-April 2013.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew - 52.8%

Inter Miami - 23.1%

Draw - 24.1%

Wilfried Nancy insists that Columbus Crew’s Campeones Cup final defeat in midweek will not deter his side from achieving their goals in the MLS playoffs this season.

The Crew were edged out on penalties by Mexican side Club America after Malte Amundsen’s opener was cancelled out by Victor Davila before losing 5-4 in the shootout.

But attention now turns to league action with a trip to Audi Field to face D.C. United, and head coach Nancy believes the defeat in that showpiece match will only spur on his players.

"We lost the game. I told them when we won the MLS Cup, we learned from that. And we lost the Concacaf Champions Cup final in Pachuca. We also learned from that,” Nancy said.

“So, at the end of the day, the fact that we win, or we lose, we learn. And for me it was the message.

“And the message also for them was to tell them that I was proud of them. And we need two or three days to move forward and are already."

Meanwhile, D.C. were on the end of a 4-0 thrashing against the Philadelphia Union in their last encounter, denting their feint hopes of making a late push for the playoffs.

The Black-and-Red sit 13th in the Eastern Conference with four games of the regular season remaining, but are just three points behind the Union, who are in the final playoff position in the division.

Head coach Troy Lesesne lamented his side’s unacceptable display at Subaru Park but acknowledged the enormity of the task awaiting his team ahead of facing the Leagues Cup winners.

“I think urgency is the right word. I want to see more urgency out of our side than what we saw last week against Philadelphia,” Lesesne said.

“That’s not the type of performance want to display, but at the same time we have to move on quickly. We want to take the game to Columbus as much as we can.

“They are extremely talented, and they’ve had lot of success. We know they are a tough opponent. We’re going to try and have the mindset – it is critical against an opponent like this.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

D.C. United - Christian Benteke

Benteke has won 271 aerial duels this season, the most in a single season since Opta began detailed data collection of the MLS in 2010.

The Belgian has won 51 more aerial duels than the entire Crew team, who have won an MLS-low of 220 aerial duels this season.

Columbus Crew – Cucho Hernandez

Hernandez came off the bench to record a goal and an assist in the Crew’s win over Orlando on Saturday, his second such game as a substitute this season.

The Colombian is one of six players in MLS history to record multiple games with a goal and an assist off the bench in a single season.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

The Crew are unbeaten in six straight meetings with D.C. (W4 D2), though the Black-and-Red did manage a 1-1 draw in Columbus in April. This is the longest unbeaten run by either team against the other since the Crew went on an eight-match unbeaten run over D.C. in 2005-06.

Nancy’s side’s win over Orlando City last time out took them to 56 points on the season after totalling 57 points in the 2023 campaign. Prior to last season, Columbus had never earned more than 54 points in a single campaign before.

D.C. have won only one of their last 10 regular-season home matches (D4 L5) dating back to the beginning of May. No team has collected fewer points at home than the Black-and-Gold (seven, tied with San Jose Earthquakes) over that time.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

D.C. United – 19.8%

Draw – 20.9%

Columbus Crew – 59.3%

Defence is seemingly the best form of attack, so says Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy after his side kept an 11th clean sheet of the season in their 2-0 win over Toronto FC.

After securing their spot in the playoffs, the Crew will be looking to continue their momentum for the final games of the campaign, starting with the visit of Orlando City FC this weekend.

Nancy’s squad have been impressive at both ends of the pitch, keeping the most shutouts in the division along with scoring 54 goals, a total only bettered by Eastern Conference leaders Inter Miami (67), while also conceding the fewest goals in the MLS this term (28).

The Columbus head coach lauded his players for their showings in attack and defence, saying their success this season has been down to the competitive spirit within the group.

“This is not only the backline because the front line, but they also do a good job avoiding certain things,” Nancy said. “Obviously, also the backline does it well.

This is the competitive spirit that we have. After that, we can talk about tactics that we are good at defensively, but for me, this is this desire to compete all the time.

“Sometimes we are unbalanced because it could happen, they are able to make a play at the right moment. This is the chemistry of the team, and this is the spirit of the team. That's why we can also be good defensively.”

But another head coach that has been impressed with his side’s defensive showing is Orlando’s Oscar Pareja, with the Lions having now kept three clean sheets in their last three league games.

Orlando have also scored eight goals during that run, with their last triumph over Charlotte FC moving them up to fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.

While the likes of Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire have starred for the Lions at the top end of the pitch, Pareja was quick to acknowledge the performances of his defenders.

“It’s also a very important phase that we have to highlight tonight as well,” Pareja said.

“Defending well as a group with consistency is probably one of the most difficult parts of the game. The back forward and those midfielders are sustaining the team in a very good way.

“We're solid. Individual performance has risen as well; it's better individually. I think that they have grown a lot during this period.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Columbus Crew – Cucho Hernandez

Hernandez came off the bench to record a goal and an assist in Columbus’ win over Toronto on Wednesday.

Since joining the Crew in July 2022, he has 11 games with both a goal and an assist in all competitions, third among MLS players in that time behind Lionel Messi (12) and Luciano Acosta (18).

Orlando City – Facundo Torres

Torres netted his team-leading 12th goal of the season for Orlando in their win over Charlotte on Wednesday and will be confident of adding to his MLS tally against the Crew.

The Uruguayan boasts an impressive record against this weekend’s opponents, contributing four goal involvements (two goals and two assists) in his five games against Columbus.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

Columbus have won two straight matches against Orlando, both with 2–0 wins in last season’s conference semi-finals and in May this year. The Crew had won just one of their previous 10 matches against the Lions prior to last season’s playoff meeting (D1 L8).

The Crew’s 4-0 loss to Seattle Sounders earlier this month was just their second defeat in their last 39 home matches in all competitions dating back to May 2023. No MLS team under Nancy’s stewardship has ever lost two straight home matches in all competitions.

However, Orlando have won six away matches in the 2024 regular season, having only triumphed more on the road in a single season last year (nine). Only FC Cincinnati (17) have more away wins than Orlando (15) since the start of the 2023 season.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew – 60.5%

Draw – 20.7%

Orlando City – 18.7%

Toronto FC head coach John Herdman is ready to embrace the challenge of a hectic fixture list to finish the MLS season, starting with welcoming Columbus Crew to BMO Field in midweek.

The Reds bounced back from their defeat to D.C. United with a 2-1 win over Austin FC last time out, moving to within two points of the top seven in the Eastern Conference.

Herdman was able to rest a number of his key players, including Lorenzo Insigne, and is confident his players can pick up a first win against their opponents in six matches.

“We’ve got to harden up. We've got to do the recovery. We've got to embrace the challenge,” said Herdman of the quick turnaround.

“It's an exciting opportunity to have Columbus at home. Not many people give you much chance against that team, the quality they have, but we were able to [partially] rest Lorenzo [Insigne] tonight. You could see that first 45, he was hungry and sharp.

“We managed to [leave] some gas [in] his tank ready to play a big match against Columbus. “I'm sure he'll be up for it.”

Columbus, meanwhile, secured their place in the playoffs with a goalless draw with FC Cincinnati, but there was disappointment among Wilfried Nancy’s squad.

The Crew managed just three shots on target from the 12 they attempted, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.32 compared to Cincinnati’s 0.28.

And while they kept a 10th clean sheet, the most in the MLS this season, head coach Nancy reiterated the importance of improvements ahead of their trip to Toronto.

“Obviously, it was the first objective because you know me with the number of wins [13-14], and we achieved it,” Nancy said.

“This is good because we cannot take anything for granted. I'm happy that we clinched the playoffs already.

“Now we're going to be able to go all in and to push a little bit more.

"Obviously, I would say it's normal to make the playoffs because we have to make the playoff in this club.

“Now we cannot take everything for granted because it's been a long season, this is not done, and the players are real competitors. They deserve it.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toronto FC – Jonathan Osorio

Osorio was in fine form in Toronto's triumph over Austin, notching a goal and an assist for Deandre Kerr's strike to secure the victory. 

His showing took him to 100 regular season goal involvements for Toronto (48 goals and 52 assists), joining Sebastian Giovinco (120) as the only players to reach that milestone for the Reds in the MLS. 

Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi

Having failed to find the back of the net in his last two MLS fixtures, Columbus' joint-top scorer Rossi will be hopeful of returning to form at BMO Field. 

In his previous four fixtures with Toronto, the Uruguayan has notched three goals and three assists and has also won three of his four meetings with the Reds (D1). 

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

The Crew come into the encounter having lost one of their previous five away matches (W3 D1), scoring 12 goals in that run. 

Columbus have also got the better of their opponents of late and are unbeaten in their last six MLS matches against the Reds (W5 D1), outscoring Toronto 13-4 during their unbeaten run. 

Toronto, however, are looking for their first league win in fixtures between the two teams since May 2021, but will have to do so on home soil, a ground where they have triumphed only twice in their last seven home matches (L5). 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Toronto FC – 17.8%

Draw – 19.9%

Columbus Crew – 62.3%