San Diego will play host to Columbus Crew on Saturday night at the Snapdragon Stadium, with both teams looking to build on their strong starts to the new MLS season.
The hosts sit second in the Western Conference standings, while the visitors are third in the Eastern Conference table.
Match preview
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San Diego’s performance in their inaugural MLS season has been quite remarkable for Miky Varas and his charges.
The hosts have been a revelation in the current MLS season having gone three games unbeaten so far.
In their first-ever match in MLS, the newcomers recorded a 2-0 win over reigning champions LA Galaxy at the Dignity Health Sports Park.
However, the California-based side could not build on that historic win, as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by St Louis City, although they still emerged with their unbeaten start to the season intact.
The MLS newcomers returned to winning ways in their last outing with a commanding 3-1 triumph against Real Salt Lake.
Now up against Columbus Crew, a three-time MLS Cup champion, Varas and his charges will face yet another stern test of their pedigree to mix it with the creme de la creme of the US top flight.
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Having been eliminated in the first round of the 2024 playoff, Columbus Crew will be keen to make up for last year’s unceremonious exit this season.
The Crew hit the ground running with consecutive wins in their opening two matches to lay down the marker in their division.
The visitors romped to a 4-2 triumph over New York Red Bulls on the opening weekend, which preceded a 1-0 win over the New England Revolution.
However, the Crew soon lost their invincibility, after they were forced to a 0-0 draw by the Houston Dynamo at the Lower.com Stadium.
Their latest setback leaves Wilfried Nancy‘s team third in the Eastern Conference table with seven points, two places and a couple of points adrift of Philadelphia Union, who are top of the standings.
They did manage a 2-1 win over Los Angeles in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup, but they were eliminated 4-2 on aggregate.
After losing their perfect record in the last round of league matches, the Black and Gold will aim to extend their unbeaten streak to four, and a third victory across four league matches.
Team News
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San Diego’s Mexican star Hirving Lozano suffered a hamstring injury last time out, and he will sit out this contest.
In his absence, Emmanuel Boateng will fill the void created by the diminutive winger.
Heine Gikling Bruseth, Andres Reyes and Manu Duah are all out with leg injuries, and they will not feature for the hosts this weekend.
Nicholas Hagen has not been fielded since suffering a broken finger, and the Guatemalan goalkeeper will miss this clash, while Patrick Schulte will maintain his place in goal for the trip to San Diego.
Lassi Lappalainen is also not available for selection, having been out with a thigh injury that has plagued him since the previous season.
Joining Hagen and Lappalainen on the sidelines is Rudy Camacho, who is stricken with a hamstring injury.
San Diego possible starting lineup:
Santos; Loffelsend, McVey, McNair, Negri; Godoy, Tverskov, De La Torre; Dreyer, Ingvartsen, Boateng
Columbus Crew possible starting lineup:
Schulte; Amundsen, Cheberko, Moreira, Farsi; Nagbe, Zawadzki; Arfsten, Chambost, Rossi; Russell-Rowe
We say: San Diego 2-2 Columbus Crew
San Diego have surprised many with their performance in their first-ever season in the top division in the United States.
The home side have not only posted good results, they are playing confidently and scoring goals, having recorded five in three fixtures.
Similarly, the visitors also have a healthy scoring record, having plundered five goals in three matches.
With not a lot to separate these, we back both sides to play out a 2-2 draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
