Our prediction for this MLS match:
Buoyed by a 2-0 win over Toronto FC, Columbus Crew will look to give fans yet another reason to celebrate when they take on Orlando City on Sunday morning. Columbus aim to overtake Cincinnati in second place in the standings and they are likely to fight tooth and nail against the Lions. A man to keep an eye on in the home team will be Cucho Hernandez, who has netted 14 goals in the Major League Soccer so far this season.
Orlando City, on the other hand, are eyeing their fourth consecutive league win, but beating Columbus at Lower.com Field is easier said than done. Taking everything into account, we predict that the two sides are going to share the spoils in Sunday’s encounter. Both Araujo and Stajduhar miss out with injuries, while David Brekalo is a major doubt and he will be assessed ahead of the kick-off.
Highlighted Player (Nicolas Lodeiro):
Nicolas Lodeiro is an experienced midfielder, who played for Barrio Obrero and Nacional during his youth career. In 2007 he tasted senior-team football for the first time ever and it has to be noted that he scored nine goals in 43 appearances in the league for Nacional.
In January 2010 the Uruguayan footballer joined Ajax, but he played no more than 21 games in the Eredivisie during his spell with the Amsterdammers. In 2012 he returns to South America, signing a four-year deal with Botafogo. During his spell with O Glorioso, Nicolas Lodeiro represented Uruguay at 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The left-footed footballer was part of Corinthians and Boca Juniors before joining Seattle Sounders in 2016. Speaking of his international career, Lodeiro made his Uruguay debut against Costa Rica in the 2010 World Cup play-offs. The MLS star, who wears the No. 10 shirt, was born in Paysandu, Uruguay on March 21, 1989. In 2016 he won MLS Cup with Seattle Sounders.
Highlighted Team (Columbus Crew):
Columbus Crew are an American soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Black & Gold participate in the Eastern Conference and in 2008 they won both the conference and the MLS CUP final. Columbus Crew defeated New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup final, with the likes of Moreno, Marshall and Hejduk scoring for the Black & Gold in the title game.
The club welcome their rivals at Mapfre Stadium, the venue which was opened on May, 15 1999. The current capacity of the stadium is 19.968 and it has to be noted that Mapfre Stadium is the first soccer-specific venue ever built for a MLS club.
A number of high-profile players were part of Columbus Crew in the past, but Guillermo Barros Schelotto is the most famous footballer that wore the black and yellow shirt. Schelotto played for Columbus Crew from 2007 to 2010 and during his spell with the Mapfre Stadium outfit the Black & Gold won the aforementioned MLS Cup.