Columbus Crew vs. New York Red Bulls: Game 1 of MLS Cup First-Round Series Preview

An In-Depth Look at the Matchup and What's at Stake

The Matchup:

The Columbus Crew, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, will host the New York Red Bulls, the No. 7 seed, in the first leg of their MLS Cup first-round series on Sunday, October 30. The Crew finished the regular season with a 19-4-11 record, while the Red Bulls finished 15-12-7.

The Crew have a slight edge in the all-time series against the Red Bulls, with a 14-11-7 record. However, the Red Bulls have won the last two meetings between the teams, including a 2-0 victory in Columbus in August.

What's at Stake:

The winner of the two-leg series will advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they will face either the top-seeded Philadelphia Union or the No. 4-seeded FC Cincinnati. The Crew will host the second leg of the series on November 6.

The Crew are looking to reach the MLS Cup final for the first time since 2015, when they lost to the Seattle Sounders. The Red Bulls are looking to reach the MLS Cup final for the first time since 2013, when they lost to Sporting Kansas City.

Key Players:

The Crew have a number of key players who will need to step up in the playoffs, including goalkeeper Eloy Room, defender Jonathan Mensah, and midfielders Lucas Zelarayán and Darlington Nagbe.

The Red Bulls also have a number of key players, including goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, defender Aaron Long, and midfielders Luquinhas and Cristian Cásseres Jr.

Prediction:

The Crew are the slight favorites to win the series, but the Red Bulls are a dangerous team and could certainly pull off an upset. I predict the Crew will win the first leg 2-1 and the series 3-2.