Defending champions Columbus Crew will face a team they beat in the last edition’s postseason, Atlanta United, wanting to kickstart their title defense with the right foot.
The Crew’s last match was their win over LAFC in the MLS final. They had only one game planned for the preseason, and it got canceled, so the team probably has a little bit of rust.
Atlanta United preseason started towards the end of January, and they won two games, drew one, and lost another.
When:Â
Saturday, February 24th at 2:00 pm ET at Lower.com Field
Moneyline odds:
Columbus Crew 1.6Â
Atlanta United 4.845
Draw Offs:Â
4.55
Where Can I Watch?Â
ESPN+
Why Bet on Columbus Crew?
Last season, Columbus repeated their heroics of 2020, as nobody gave a cent for them being champions, and they ended up lifting the trophy. In the final, they beat none other than the defending champions LAFC with category, landing a comfortable 2-0.
Remember that the team came from not qualifying in 2022, giving extra value to their success. In the regular season, they had a good record of 16 wins, nine draws, and the same number of losses. The Crew ended far behind FC Cincinnati, winners of the Supporters’ Shield, but laughed at last, beating them at the Conference Finals.
In the transfer market, the most relevant departure was that of veteran midfielder Lucas Zelarayán, while the star signing was left winger Diego Rossi for Fenerbahçe.
Why Bet on Atlanta United?
Atlanta United is usually a competitive MLS side, but they have been incapable of reaching the highs of the franchise’s earlier years. Since the golden years of Almiron and Martinez’s deadly partnership in attack, the team has been unable to go past the first round of the playoffs, failing to qualify two times.
Last season, they had a decent regular phase, ending sixth with 13 wins, 12 draws, and nine losses. However, in the new BO3 format implemented for the first round (after the Wild Card), they encountered, precisely, Columbus Crew, losing the two matches as visitors and winning 4-2 at home.
This season, the mission is to break the first-round curse, but they didn’t move well in the transfer market looking for it. They lost two-star attackers like Barco and Araújo to South American clubs, while most of their arrivals are from obscure European teams.
Final Betting Analysis:Â Columbus Crew vs. Atlanta United
As said before, last season, these teams faced in the playoffs, and, with some battle, Columbus got rid of Atlanta United on their way to becoming champions.
This encounter will be the 20th between both teams. Columbus has the upper hand with nine wins, while seven games went Atlanta’s way, and three ended in draws. The goal average between the two is close to 3.5, so it’s clear that, when they clash in the field, a spectacle should be expected.
We believe the defending champions moved better in the transfer market, and even if Atlanta has a better rhythm after their postseason run, they didn’t get good results. The locals will come out with a 3-1 victory.
Go for a victory for the Crew at 1.6. If you bet $100 at such odds, you could get $60 for a total payout of $160.
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