After scoring two goals in each of their first two matches but losing due to difficulties in stopping counterattacks, the Columbus Crew addressed this issue last week but still couldn’t secure their first win as the offense struggled to score.
This Saturday, Columbus aims to combine strong defense with a powerful attack when they host Nashville SC in central Ohio.
The Crew (0-1-2, 2 points) altered their formation against the Chicago Fire, switching to a 4-4-2 setup from the 3-4-3 formation used in their previous 2-2 draw with Sporting Kansas City.
First-year coach Henrik Rydstrom noted that the additional defender allowed the team to maintain better defensive positioning. “When they try to advance into our penalty area, we have solid options to defend, and we accomplished that,” he stated. “We were defensively strong and hard to break down.”
The new formation did not limit Columbus’s offensive opportunities, as they outshot their opponents (14-8) and had more shots on target (5-3). However, Wessam Abou Ali and Diego Rossi, who had scored in the first two matches, could not find the net this time.
Nashville (2-0-1, 7 points) is coming off a 3-1 victory over Minnesota last Saturday, featuring two goals from Sam Surridge and one from Cristian Espinoza. Surridge holds the record for the most home goals in MLS with 17 since last year.
Espinoza, who previously played for San Jose for seven seasons, is becoming a vital contributor to his new team, presenting challenges for other teams in the league. Alongside Surridge and Hany Mukhtar, they form a competitive trio.
“We are fully confident that if we keep getting our players in good scoring positions, we will keep scoring goals,” said Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan. Nashville ranks fourth in the league with seven goals scored, while their two goals conceded are tied for the fourth-fewest.