The MLS game under the Friday Night Lights this week comes from BMO Field as Toronto FC host the Columbus Crew in an all-Eastern Conference clash. The two sides have already met twice this season and shared those two matches so the Trillium Cup will be decided on this match.
Toronto FC are blazing a trail at the top of the Eastern Conference, a trail they will look to extend here but Columbus Crew can get themselves within touching distance of them with a win so this should be a good one.
Toronto FC
In Major League Soccer things have been going brilliantly for the Canadian side this season. They have only lost one match, which they will know was against the Columbus Crew which should ensure they are at it for this one, and have generally been in good nick for the entire campaign so far which will have them full of confidence.
They did have a six match losing streak snapped in New York last weekend when they could only draw 1-1 with the Red Bulls but that wasn’t necessarily a bad result and I’m sure they will be out to get back to winning ways here. They look efficient at both ends of the field currently which certainly bodes well.
Columbus Crew
The Crew were the early pacesetters in this table until they ran into Toronto early in the season and since then finding consistency has been a real issue for them and something they will need to address the longer the season goes on, especially when play-off time and the trophy winning times come around.
The one thing I like about Columbus Crew this season is that they look prepared to take the game to any side they come up against. That hasn’t always had the success they would have liked but it makes for watchable football which is what I like. They go into this match on a win-loss-win-loss sequence and if that continues they are due a win.
Team News
Toronto FC were already without the injured Sebastian Giovinco for this match but they will have to do without his strike partner too as Jozy Altidore is suspended on accumulation of bookings which isn’t ideal. Nick Hagglund is also missing.
Columbus Crew are without the two men who have undergone surgery. They are Gaston Sauro and Ben Swanson while there is a doubt over Ethan Finley here after an issue with his knee. He is rated questionable for the game.
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Betting
Usually taking on home sides isn’t the way to do things in the MLS but I’m going to make an exception here. In fairness with Toronto FCs schedule the way it is they could have been ripe for being taken on anyway but when you throw the absences of Giovinco and Altidore into the mix it becomes a much stronger proposition.
Columbus Crew are inconsistent but we saw when they went to Montreal recently that they do have goals in them and I fancy they’ll find the back of the net in this match. Just how threatening Toronto will be remains to be seen. Toronto had no choice but to play players they wouldn’t have wanted to in the Canadian Championship in midweek so they could have some tired legs.
That means the +0.75 line we can get on the visitors looks a little bit too big especially when we consider that they only went down by the odd goal against a much stronger Toronto side earlier in the season and they also have a win over a stronger side than this one will be too.
Tips
Back Columbus Crew (+0.75AH) to beat Toronto FC for a 4/10 stake at 1.84 with BetVictor
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