How to Watch: Crew vs. FC Cincinnati

Everything you need to know for part four of Hell is Real in 2020.

By Orri Benatar@obenatar512 Oct 14, 2020, 5:49pm EDT

Here we go again! For the fourth time in 2020, the Ohio clubs will meet for the Hell is Real Derby in the MLS regular season. The Columbus Crew head down south at Nippert Stadium for a midweek rivalry match against FC Cincinnati. In the three previous games between these two, Columbus has won twice and drawn once. The one draw came at Nippert Stadium back in late August, which was the last match in which the Crew hasn’t scored.

The Black & Gold got an out of the ordinary weekend off with the postponement of Sunday’s game at Orlando City SC due to two positive COVID tests among Crew staff members. The entire team and staff in Columbus has gone through three consecutive negative rounds of testing and is ready to break a three-match winless run against the team’s rivals to the south.

FC Cincinnati has had a run of form to forget of late with no wins in the team’s last five matches and no goals in its last four. Cincinnati has the joint-worst goal differential in the league at -19 and is the only team in MLS with fewer than 10 goals in 2020. FC Cincy has had moderate success at home with a peculiar four 0-0 draws, something you often don’t see in any soccer league in the world.

Previews:

Updates from Pat Murphy on the team’s recent COVID tests after Sunday’s postponement. A look at what the Crew supporters believe the XI should be in this game tonight. The latest episode of the Massive Report Podcast has the guys preview tonight’s game and predict it. Adam Miller scouts FC Cincinnati. and the Massive Report staff makes their predictions.

Lineups:

Tonight's Starting XI for #HellisReal:#Crew96 | @MAPFREIns
— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) October 14, 2020

#FCCincy's starting lineup for tonight.#CINvCLB #HellisReal
— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) October 14, 2020

Injuries and suspensions:

Crew: Defender Vito Wormgoor is OUT with an ankle injury. Midfielder Darlington Nagbe, Midfielder Lucas Zelarayan, Defender Waylon Francis, and Forward Fanendo Adi are OUT with undisclosed injuries.

FC Cincinnati: Goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton, Defenders Kendall Waston, Mathieu Deplagne, Matt Garza, Maikel van der Werff and Forward Jurgen Locadia are all OUT with undisclosed injuries.

How to watch:

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, 7:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Nippert Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)

TV: FOX Sports Ohio, Star64

Radio: English: 97.1 The Fan - Spanish: Columbus Crew YouTube

Streaming: ESPN+, DAZN App

East Standings:

2. Philadelphia Union (17 GP, 34 pts)

3. Columbus Crew (16 GP, 31 pts)

4. Orlando City (16 GP, 30 pts)

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12. Inter Miami (17 GP, 17 pts)

13. FC Cincinnati (17 GP, 13 pts)

14. D.C. United (17 GP, 11 pts)

Around the league:

It’s another full Wednesday’s of MLS games with 12 games taking place all evening across the league. The first team in the playoffs, Toronto FC, continues its push for the Supporters’ Shield at home against the New York Red Bulls. Orlando City returns to play after Sunday’s postponement against fifth place New York City FC.

In the West, FC Dallas host Sporting Kansas City at Toyota Stadium in a battle of playoff contenders. Second place Portland Timbers are in Utah to take on Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles Football Club plays the Vancouver Whitecaps in Portland.