Columbus Crew Hosts New York Red Bulls in MLS Cup Playoffs Opener

The Columbus Crew is set to host the New York Red Bulls in the first match of their Round 1 series in the MLS Cup playoffs on Tuesday, October 29. The game will kick off at 6:45 PM ET at the Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.

Columbus, who finished the regular season in second place, are confident after a strong performance that saw them edge the Red Bulls 3-2 in the regular-season finale on October 19. This victory was sealed with a 97th-minute goal by Malte Amundsen. The Crew also hold a 3-0 home win over the Red Bulls from March 16.

The New York Red Bulls, seeded seventh, are looking to build on their recent form, having tied the regular-season finale with goals from Emil Forsberg in the 78th and 87th minutes. Red Bulls coach Sandro Schwarz expressed optimism about their chances, emphasizing the need for solid defense and intense play to compete against the Crew.

Key players to watch include Columbus’s Cucho Hernandez, a league MVP finalist with 33 goal contributions this season, and New York’s Emil Forsberg, who has produced three goals and two assists in the past three matches.

The match will be broadcast live on various platforms, including Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Apple TV, Sling TV, and FOX in the US. For fans abroad, a VPN may be necessary to access these streaming services.

Injury concerns for the Crew include Mohamed Farsi and Steven Moreira, while the Red Bulls are dealing with injuries to Noah Eile, Roald Mitchell, and Kyle Duncan.

A second match in the series is scheduled for Sunday, November 3, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, with a potential third match set for November 10 back in Columbus if necessary).