Last Updated on May 11, 2026 8:21 pm by ZUWP Automation
A side that just shipped three goals on the road meets one that won away from home last time out — form makes this a tighter call than it looks.
New York Red Bulls have won once in their last five matches. Columbus Crew arrive at Red Bull Arena having lost their most recent fixture 0-3 away to New York City. Two sides with patchy records, a historically tight series between them, and a Wednesday night fixture that has the feel of a contest neither can afford to lose.
Match Details
- Venue: Red Bull Arena
- Date: 13 May 2026
- Competition: MLS 2026
Form Guide: Fragile Hosts, Inconsistent Visitors
New York Red Bulls’ recent run makes for uncomfortable reading. Their 1W 1D 3L record across the last five tells only part of the story. The draw was a 4-4 thriller at home to DC United, the kind of result that flatters neither defence, and the three defeats included a 1-4 loss away to CF Montréal and a 0-1 reverse at Cincinnati. The sole win, a 2-0 away victory over Chicago Fire last Friday, will at least have provided some relief, but one win in five is a fragile platform on which to host a divisional rival.
Columbus Crew’s form is marginally better at 2W 1D 2L, but the trajectory is concerning. Back-to-back wins over LA Galaxy (2-1) and Philadelphia Union (1-0) in late April suggested a side finding its feet. Then came consecutive defeats: a 2-3 home loss to Minnesota United and, most recently, a 0-3 hammering away at New York City. Arriving in New Jersey on the back of that result, the Crew will need to reset quickly.
The contrast in recent away form is worth noting. New York’s last away fixture produced their best result of the run. Columbus’s last away match produced their worst. That asymmetry adds a layer of intrigue to a home fixture where the hosts have struggled for consistency.
Key Players to Watch
Among the Columbus Crew players with meaningful season statistics, Wessam Abou Ali stands out as the most potent threat. The forward has four goals from six appearances, placing him 7th in the MLS scoring charts, trailing only the likes of Brian White (six goals) and Rafael Navarro (five). He has managed 17 shots in 485 minutes of football, with seven on target. That volume and conversion rate makes him the most dangerous individual on the pitch on Wednesday.
Dylan Chambost has been the Crew’s most creative presence in midfield. Across four appearances, he has registered 11 key passes and one assist, carrying an average rating of 7.21. He is the player most likely to unlock the Red Bulls’ defensive shape, and his two yellow cards in that same period hint at a willingness to compete physically when the creative route is blocked.
Taha Habroune adds another dimension from midfield: two assists, 10 key passes, and an average rating of 7.02 across six appearances. He and Chambost together give Columbus a double creative threat that New York will need to manage carefully.
For the hosts, Diego Rossi carries the primary attacking responsibility. Two goals and four key passes across six matches, with an average rating of 6.78, make him the most productive Red Bull in the final third. Max Arfsten has chipped in with one goal and two assists in six appearances, also generating eight key passes, and will be looking to exploit space behind Columbus’s defence.
Head to Head
The last six meetings between these sides have produced a remarkably balanced record: New York Red Bulls have won one, Columbus Crew two, and three have ended level. That pattern of drawn contests and narrow margins is the defining characteristic of this fixture.
The most recent meeting, at Historic Crew Stadium in October 2025, ended 1-1 at full time, with Columbus Crew ultimately winning after that point. The series as a whole resists easy narrative. Neither side has been able to impose themselves convincingly over the other, which makes Wednesday’s match as open as the history suggests it should be.
What the Bookmakers Say
The prediction models lean slightly towards Columbus Crew, who carry a 40% probability of victory compared to 36% for the hosts and 24% for a draw. New York are not without a chance on their own patch, but the numbers reflect a Columbus side that, despite their recent road struggles, are considered marginally the more likely winners over 90 minutes.
Closing Argument
New York Red Bulls need a performance that justifies the home advantage they have so far failed to convert into points this season. Columbus Crew, despite their superior head-to-head record in this fixture, arrive having conceded three goals in their last away match and with questions about their defensive resilience on the road. The creative quality of Chambost and Habroune against the goal threat of Abou Ali on one side, and Rossi and Arfsten pressing from the other, sets up a match where the margins will be fine. The question is which side’s form holds — and which finally breaks the pattern of draws that has defined this rivalry.
