'Finally': Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati 'Hell Is Real' match has playoff implications
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At the U.S. Open Cup game between the Crew and then USL Championship side FC Cincinnati in 2017, Columbus center back Josh Williams said he felt a presence about the matchup. It was just different.
There have been plenty of notable moments between the Crew and FC Cincinnati since the latter became an MLS club in 2019, but none like Sunday at Lower.com Field. For the first time, their match has real stakes that can impact how the playoff seeding falls at season’s end.
With the Crew (6-5-8, 26 points) on a seven-game unbeaten streak and one point back of Cincinnati (7-7-6, 27 points), who sits in the sixth of seven playoff spots, the "Hell Is Real" rivalry looks like more than a geographical rivalry for the first time.
"No disrespect at all to Cincinnati, but finally,” Williams said. “They have a solid team. I've been watching them all year, and they've been impressive. It's good for us, it's good for them, it's good for fans of the league. It's good for soccer in Ohio, in general. It feels like something bigger than it has in the past, really.”
More: What went wrong late for Columbus Crew against D.C. United
More: Cucho Hernandez already proving why Columbus Crew paid a record fee for him
The Crew are unbeaten at home and 4-1-3 overall against Cincinnati in MLS play, outscoring their rivals 18-9. Last season, Cincinnati was in position to win both games against the Crew but blew a two-goal lead at home with the Crew playing down a man, then lost 3-2 at Lower.com Field after taking the lead in the 74th minute.
"Pivotal match for the table, but way more than that,” Crew coach Caleb Porter said. “It's a fight between two cities for bragging rights. That's why they call it the Hell Is Real derby because if you lose, you feel like you're in hell.”
The Crew have made the playoffs just once since Cincinnati joined the league, so it’s not like the Crew have been waiting for Cincinnati to catch up this entire time. But Cincinnati’s turnaround this season is one of the best in the league under first-year coach Pat Noonan. Cincinnati already has more points than it accumulated during the entire 2019 and 2021 seasons.
Luciano Acosta has been the key playmaker for Cincinnati, scoring six goals with 10 assists, while Brandon Vazquez has emerged as a rising star in the league with 10 goals and four assists. Cincinnati will be playing without Acosta, however, after he was dealt an additional two-game suspension for making physical contact with a referee and failing to leave the match promptly following a red card he received on July 9.
"You look at all the rivalries in the world, they're all top teams within their leagues,” Crew midfielder Aidan Morris said. “It brings a little bit more tension, gives a little bit more meaning to the game.”
Lately the Crew have looked like a team capable of contending for a home playoff game. Much of that is because of new striker Cucho Hernandez, who has three goals in 73 minutes and will be making his home debut on Sunday in front of an expected capacity crowd.
"That guy's been incredible, the way he's scoring and the ways he's been scoring,” Williams said.
Cincinnati would like nothing more than to spoil the home debut of Hernandez and give itself a little more separation from their rival. With all that’s at stake, Morris said the gravity of the moment and the excitement of Hernandez’s home debut is a motivator rather than a distraction.
“I think it raises the level of everyone,” he said. “I think that's what it'll do for us this weekend."
Columbus Crew
Record: 6-5-8, 26 pts., 8th in East
Projected Starting XI (4-3-3):
Eloy Room (goalkeeper), Josh Williams (center back), Jonathan Mensah (center back), Pedro Santos (left back), Steven Moreira (right back), Sean Zawadzki (midfielder), Darlington Nagbe (central midfielder), Aidan Morris (central midfielder), Derrick Etienne Jr. (right winger), Lucas Zelarayan (left winger), Cucho Hernandez (forward)
What to watch: Hernandez got another 45 minutes against D.C. United, so it stands to reason that he could play 60 minutes against FC Cincinnati as the Crew try to ramp up his fitness. Porter could decide to play Hernandez another 45 minutes for a boost in the second half, instead. If he starts, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 with Lucas Zelarayan on the left side.
FC Cincinnati
Record: 7-7-6, 27 pts., 6th in East
Projected Starting XI (3-4-3):
Roman Celentano (goalkeeper), Ray Gaddis (right back), Tyler Blackett (center back), Geoff Cameron (center back), Nick Hagglund (center back), John Nelson (left back), Obinna Nwobodo (midfielder), Haris Medunjanin (midfielder), Brandon Vazquez (forward), Brenner (forward), Alvaro Barreal (forward)
Prediction
Columbus 2, FC Cincinnati 1: Despite their solid record, Cincinnati has allowed 35 goals in 20 games and have a minus-three goal-differential. Without Acosta and at least one half of Cucho Hernandez, the Crew have enough firepower to get past their rival.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati soccer match has high stakes
