By The Numbers pres. by Ohio Organization Machines | Crew travels to Nashville SC Sunday

The Black &amp Gold return to MLS action on Sunday evening when the Columbus Crew heads south after much more to face Eastern Conference side Nashville SC. When final week paired Columbus against the conference’s best group, this weekend it is the second-location side that Wilfried Nancy and his group will play against. 

ten vs. ten – No huge deal, but Sunday night’s matchup could function two of the league’s best talents: Lucas Zelarayán and Hany Mukhtar. We all know about Lucas, who has a aim or help in 5 of his final seven MLS games. The Armenia international has scored in consecutive games and has six ambitions and 3 assists currently to his name in 2023. But then there’s Hany, who was dubbed the 2022 Landon Donovan MVP. Mukhtar is up to eight ambitions and six assists via in 12 league appearances this season. When Crew fans are constantly treated to watching top quality attacking players, the battle involving these two on opposite sides of the pitch is the headline story for this match. 

13 – Following Wednesday night’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup departure against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, the Crew can regroup Sunday evening when the club travels to Nashville’s GEODIS Park for the very first time. With the Open Cup in the rear-view mirror, the Black &amp Gold will only have league matches for the subsequent two months till the Leagues Cup begins July 23. For the previous month, Nancy has heavily rotated his squad to compete in two competitions. Other than a Wednesday evening house date subsequent week against the Colorado Rapids, the Crew does not have a midweek match on its calendar till Independence Day. When this indicates there could be much less rotation in the squad, it also indicates we’ll have a much better concept of Nancy’s preferred XI getting into the midway point in the season. 

9 – Nashville SC, after a Western Conference foe, is now in the Eastern Conference following St. Louis CITY SC joining MLS this season. Nashville’s performed effectively in the east to date and is at the moment positioned second in the conference standings. Nashville also lost its U.S. Open Cup match this week — a two-1 loss at Inter Miami CF — and enters Sunday evening unbeaten in its final six league matches. As pointed out above, Mukhtar is the greatest attacking threat, but the club’s backline also deserves praise. With only nine ambitions permitted via 14 games, Nashville’s defense has been the very best across the league.

Columbus was defeated, 1-, when the clubs clashed at Reduce.com Field on April two, 2022. In the final meeting in Tennessee, the match completed level, 1-1. That evening — Oct. 20, 2021 — Zelarayán scored in the 75th minute ahead of Mukhtar created the equalizer two minutes later. 

Who: Columbus Crew at Nashville SC

When: Sunday, Could 27 at 7:30 p.m.

How to Listen: 97.1 HD3/The Fan Stream, La Mega 103.1 FM

Existing Standings: Columbus Crew – Eighth in Eastern Conference Nashville SC – Second in Eastern Conference