Columbus Crew vs Philadelphia Union Tips, Predictions and Bet Builder

Philadelphia Union lead the way in the Eastern Conference and they head to Columbus Crew seeking to extend a 13-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.

Columbus are well placed for a postseason challenge themselves, as they sit fourth in the East.

The Crew’s home form has been key to their success this season with 22 of their 34 points coming at Lower.com Field in Ohio.

Union are winless in their last nine trips to Columbus, with their last victory as an away side in this fixture coming back in 2016, but with four wins in their previous five on the road they may be able to end that streak on Sunday.

Columbus Crew vs Philadelphia Union Tips Summary

Market	Tip	Odds
Match Result	Philadelphia Union	16/5
Best Bet	Danley Jean Jacques to score or assist	9/2
Bet Builder	Philadelphia Union to win, both teams to score, Danley Jean Jacques to score or assist	16/1

Key Match Stats

• Philadelphia Union have the best record across MLS, with 40 points from 90 games.

• Union have won six of their nine MLS road games (D1, L2).

• Columbus Crew have won just two of their last eight games (D4, L2).

• Both teams have scored in each of the Crew’s last 10 games.

• Columbus scored an injury-time equaliser in a reverse fixture last month.

Columbus Crew vs Philadelphia Union Prediction

Best Bet: Philadelphia Union to win @ 16/5

Philadelphia Union head to Columbus Crew as underdogs and considering their form the visitors look a risk worth taking in this huge Eastern Conference showdown.

Both of these teams are missing a few key men due to injuries and the ongoing Gold Cup, but Union have managed to keep picking up results despite their absentees.

The Crew do appear to have turned a bit of a corner after back-to-back wins but those successes have come against a Vancouver Whitecaps side who travel poorly and Eastern Conference strugglers Atlanta United.

Philly are a level above those teams and they can expose a suspect Columbus defence that has gone 14 games without a clean sheet.

Union have four wins in their last five road games and they’ve won six of their nine MLS trips. Philadelphia have lost twice on their travels but both of those defeats came in tight games against strong sides. Union outplayed Columbus in a reverse fixture back in May but conceded a last-gasp equaliser, a similar performance on Sunday may be enough for all three points in this latest meeting.

Gareth Freeman explains:

Columbus have an exceptional home record, but their form overall recently hasn’t been great. The Crew have only won two of their last eight games and they could come unstuck against this Philly side who have won five of their seven games since these sides played out a 2-2 draw at Subaru Park back in May.

Columbus Crew vs Philadelphia Union Bet Builder Tip

• Philadelphia Union to win

• Both teams to score

• Danley Jean Jacques to score or assist

• Pays 16/1

Philadelphia Union look capable of pulling off a bit of an upset as the underdogs and inflicting just a second home loss of the season on Columbus Crew - but they may concede in victory.

Both teams have scored in each of the Crew’s last 10 games and they have struck 20 times themselves in 11 home fixtures. There have been goals at both ends in five of the last six head-to-head meetings between these two teams and Columbus have scored in all of those games, so they can at least strike in defeat in what should be a close game.

Philly are boosted by the return of midfielder Danley Jean Jacques after his Gold Cup dream came to an end with Haiti. The midfielder can make a key contribution for his club side on his return to MLS action, however, having managed two goals and three assists in 16 MLS appearances this season.

Jacques had a goal and an assist in five games for his country during his spell away from Philly and he should be ready to hit the ground running after his Gold Cup exploits. 

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Gareth Freeman adds:

Philadelphia may have to do it the hard way in Ohio as Columbus have scored in 10 straight games and rarely fail to get on the scoresheet in home fixtures. Jacques was in good form for Union before heading off to the Gold Cup, if he can pick up where he left off, then he looks good value to either score or assist.

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Tactics, Form and Team News

Nicholas Hagen and Max Arfsten are unavailable for Columbus Crew as they are at the Gold Cup with Guatemala and the USA, respectively.

Cesar Ruvalcaba Perez, Patrick Schulte, Malte Amundsen and Rudy Camacho missed out against Atlanta United in midweek due to injury and could all miss out again.

Jacen Russell-Rowe should retain his starting place after scoring twice against United.

Expected Columbus Crew line-up (4-3-3-): Bush; Moreira, Zawadzki, Cheberko, Herrera; Chambost, Nagbe, Jackson; Rossi, Gazdag, Russell-Rowe.

Union will be without injured duo Olivier Mbaizo and Mikael Uhre, but Tai Baribo could be involved.

USA internationals Quinn Sullivan and Nathan Harriel are at the Gold Cup, but Jacques and Jamaica’s Andre Blake are available.

Expected Philadelphia Union line-up (4-4-2): Blake; Bedoya, Glesnes, Makhanya, Wagner; Vassilev, Bueno, Lukic, Jacques; Damiani, Donovan.

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.