New England Revolution – HUGE REPORT

The Columbus Crew secured second place in the Eastern Conference, ensuring they have home-field advantage in the playoffs, at least until the Eastern Conference finals – should they advance and face Inter Miami. While this weekend's game has no impact on the seedings, the Crew is eager to gain points to give themselves a better chance of hosting the MLS Cup if they get that far. To add to the intrigue, the crew faces their former head coach Caleb Porter as the New England Revolution comes to town. This duel is about a lot of pride for both sides.

Both teams will have to contend with significant absences due to international commitments and injuries. The Revolution will be without playmaker Carles Gil, who is out through injury, as well as standout young striker Esmir Bajraktarevic and full-back Peyton Miller, who are out on international duty.

The Black & Gold are also struggling with their share of absences. Three goalkeepers will be unavailable: Patrick Schulte and Nicholas Hagen represent their national teams, while Evan Bush is unavailable due to injury. Defender Steven Moreira is out with an ankle injury and midfielder Sean Zawadzki is out with a rib injury. In addition, full-back Mo Farsi, midfielder Taha Habroune and striker Cucho Hernandez are all on international duty.

Despite these challenges, Columbus is ready to field a competitive roster. Goalkeeper Abraham Romero will have a chance to redeem himself after a difficult start against the Seattle Sounders, where he received a red card after a misjudged attempt to clear the ball. Given MLS Next Pro's backup goalkeeper restrictions, it is unlikely that Columbus will have a backup goalkeeper available for this game.

Defensively, Rudy Camacho will play a central role as one of the central defenders, flanked by Malte Amundsen and full-back Andres Herrera. With both Farsi and Moreira unavailable, Herrera will move back to central defense, allowing the Crew to evaluate his abilities in that position.

Max Arfsten will step in at right wingback, while DeJuan Jones, a former Revolution player, will get a chance to start on the opposite side. This reshuffling highlights the crew's adaptability in the face of adversity.

Midfielder and captain Darlington Nagbe is expected to play a more attacking role, especially with New England missing key players like Bajraktarevic and Gil. Fans can expect a strong performance from Nagbe, possibly with one of his trademark long-range shots. He will be supported in midfield by Dylan Chambost, who assisted on two corners in the last game.

While Columbus will be without its leading scorer, Cucho Hernandez, the Crew's forward line remains promising. Christian Ramirez, Diego Rossi and Jacen Russell-Rowe will lead the attack. Rossi, who has only managed three goals and one assist since the League Cup, will be aiming to improve his performance as the playoffs approach. Despite a slow start, he contributed 12 goals and 11 assists in the regular season, showing his potential to lead the Black & Gold team. Ramirez and Russell-Rowe will look to capitalize on Chambost's set pieces.

As both teams prepare for this highly anticipated match, the stage is set for an exciting clash full of competitive spirit and the pursuit of pride.