Your Tuesday Kickoff: Columbus begin quest for MLS Cup repeat tonight
Columbus Crew begin their defense of the MLS Cup tonight when they host the New England Revolution.
The Crew won their second MLS Cup in franchise history last December, defeating the Seattle Sounders 3-0 in the final.
Columbus will be looking to become the first team to repeat as MLS Cup champions since the LA Galaxy in 2012 and 2014.
The Crew will be without a number of key players tonight, including Darlington Nagbe, Pedro Santos, and Milton Valenzuela.
Nagbe is out with a hamstring injury, while Santos and Valenzuela are both suspended.
Despite the absences, the Crew are still confident that they can start their title defense with a win.
New England will be a tough opponent for the Crew.
The Revolution finished second in the Eastern Conference last season and won the US Open Cup.
New England also has a number of key players, including Carles Gil, Gustavo Bou, and Matt Turner.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The game will be televised on ESPN and ESPN+
Here are some other things to watch for in tonight's match:
- Can the Crew overcome the absences of Nagbe, Santos, and Valenzuela?
- Will New England be able to take advantage of the Crew's injuries?
- Who will be the key players for both teams?
