In the final stretch of the 2023 season, the Crew became very familiar with Atlanta United, facing the club four times in their final eight games of the year. So, when coach Wilfried Nancy first saw the 2024 schedule and realized that his team would be opening the season against Atlanta, he wasn’t overly excited considering how frequent these meetings became.
Holding a 2-1-1 record in those four games, three coming during the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs, Nancy knows the way Atlanta coach Gonzalo Pineda and his squad operate.
When it comes to the match on Saturday at Lower.com Field, the second-year Crew coach isn’t ignorant in thinking that Atlanta will run the same attack as last season, especially now that Columbus is the reigning MLS champion.
“Last year was the same in terms of the way they wanted to put us in trouble,” Nancy said. “So again, we’re going to prepare the game in a way that we usually do, knowing maybe they are going to try to adjust certain things. And also, the idea is to have an evolution about our game because this is the second year. It’s going to be a good game.”
A confident team according to Crew captain and former Atlanta midfielder Darlington Nagbe, Atlanta, like Columbus, is also a strong offensive team. In the three-game MLS Cup first-round series, the two teams totaled eight goals.
Recording just one goal less than the Crew, who put up a league-leading 67 goals in the regular season, Atlanta has multiple scoring threats. 2023 MLS Young Player of the Year Thiago Almada and MLS Newcomer of the Year Giorgos Giakoumakis combined for 28 goals last season.
With Columbus’ most recent loss being against Atlanta, 4-2 in Game 2 of the first round, Nagbe is excited at the prospect of starting the season off against a difficult opponent, as it wakes them up and lets them know what’s ahead.
“You really want to put on a show, have a good performance,” Nagbe said. “Get the win to set the tone for the rest of the season.”
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How will the rosters look?
For Columbus, the exact starting lineup that was on the field for the 4-2 victory over Atlanta to advance to the MLS Cup Eastern Conference semifinals, has returned this season. The same can be said for Atlanta, minus center back Miles Robinson, who made the jump to FC Cincinnati.
After having his option picked up in December, it was announced on Wednesday that Mohamed Farsi signed a contract extension through 2027, with a club option for 2028. Recording his first start of the postseason for Columbus in that final Atlanta matchup, the 24-year-old kept that role at right wingback throughout the rest of the playoffs.
Starting to work on this new deal a couple of weeks before the extension was announced, Farsi didn’t expect at the start of last season that he’d be at this stage of his career with the Crew already.
“I know that my contract, I had two options,” Farsi said. “So, 2024 option and 2025. And the fact that they came they’re open to talk about a new contract, it was very appreciated.”
In the offseason, the club also signed deals with goalkeeper Nicolas Hagen, midfielder Derek Jones, who has been practicing at the six position, and 21-year-old Marino Hinestroza from Liga MX. And in a first for the Crew, they signed a player who went straight from the academy to Crew 2 and now the first team, 18-year-old Taha Harborne.
“I think that we’ve prepared well, the younger kids don’t seem like younger kids now, I think they’ve matured well,” said forward Cucho Hernandez vis translator. “We have two or three players in each position that can play in that position when needed.”
Though long-time Crew defender Josh Williams’ contract with the club ran out at the end of last season and there was no re-signing, the respected member in club history will be at the game Saturday as the match ignitor.
Who will be available?
During the second leg of the preseason in Santa Barabara, Crew midfielder Alex Matan spent a couple of training sessions off to the side, working on his own. Upon returning to Columbus, Nancy confirmed that the 24-year-old had felt something in his quad but was back to full training on Monday and should be good for Saturday’s game.
With no one listed on the Crew’s injury report as of Friday evening, the expectation is that the full roster will be available, including Will Sands. After tearing his ACL back in April of last season during Columbus’ match against Charlotte FC, Sands has been sidelined from action.
Taking part in the club’s scrimmages in Santa Barbara, this is the first time the 23-year-old will be an option since the injury.
“I feel good,” said Sands in Santa Barbara. “I’ve been told just try not to think about it, because when you think about it more, the, I guess, increased likelihood you’re about to do it again. So, I just try not to think about it, and I’ve had no issues, I haven’t felt nervous.”
No place like home
It is impossible to ignore the fact that this Crew team is better when they are at Lower.com Field.
Only handed one loss last season on their home turf, the Crew are currently on a four-game winning streak in Columbus, which includes three postseason victories. Though it’s a goal this year to improve on the road, the preference is to be in front of the fans at Lower.com.
“I love it,” Hernandez said. “I can’t hear exactly what they say, but I know I hear them, and it gives me that extra impulse to, when I’m tired, give that extra step and continue on with the match.”
Last season was a first for now two-time Crew champion Aidan Morris, opening the season on the road. After losing 4-1 in Philadelphia to start, Morris and his teammates are embracing the advantages of starting at home.
The advantage is even bigger considering how well Atlanta plays at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the Crew recorded their only loss of the postseason. During the regular season, Atlanta was the only team to tally more home goals than Columbus with 42 compared to the Crew’s 41.
“That’s what you get from winning the championship, you get the respect to play at home,” Morris said. “It’s nice. It wasn’t long ago we were here, lifting a trophy. So, being able to be back and in front of our own fans, it’ll give us a good extra bit of energy.”
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