The scoring machine that is the Columbus Crew looks for their fourth win straight against the streaking New England Revolution in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.
Columbus (4-2-1, 13 points) has outscored Atlanta United, Real Salt Lake and D.C. United by a combined 12-1 total to win three consecutive games by multiple goals for the fourth time in team history.
First-year coach Wilfried Nancy has turned the Crew into an offensive juggernaut with an MLS-best 17 goals. Only three teams in MLS history have scored more goals than Columbus in the first seven games of a season — the 2019 Los Angeles FC (21 goals), 1998 Los Angeles Galaxy (20), and 2019 Toronto FC (19).
“What you see on the weekend isn’t a fluke. It’s what we do every day in practice and what Coach believes in us,” Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte said. “Obviously, we have some very talented players that can create chances. But I think just as a team it’s ‘we, not me’ as a mentality and I think you’re seeing that with how many goals we’re scoring.”
The Crew are posting impressive numbers despite injured striker Cucho Hernandez (knee) missing most of the season as New England coach Bruce Arena is well aware.
“It’s a big challenge,” Arena said. “It will be interesting to see. We’ve got to get better defensively. We’re still making too many mistakes and we’ve got to be better in the attacking end of the field. We have a long way to go at this point now.”
New England (5-1-1, 16 points) has three wins and a tie in the past four games since a 4-0 loss at LAFC on March 12.
“The scoreline doesn’t really show how the game really went,” Revolution forward Bobby Wood said. “Obviously, it was a bad loss but besides an unlucky penalty it was a close game.
“We look at the positives in the toughest moment and we’re going to focus on ourselves and go out to Columbus and see where we’re at.”
— Field Level Media
