FC Dallas vs Columbus Crew Predictions

Dallas remain a point clear at the top of the Western Conference following a 4-2 over local rivals Houston Dynamos before the international break, while this weekends opponents Columbus Crew sit fourth in the Eastern Conference after their 2-1 win over third placed New York City.

Dallas took the lead at home to Houston Dynamo in the tenth minute through Barrios, and that solitary goal proved enough to separate the two clubs at the half time break. Fellow Colombian Mosquera doubled the hosts advantage three minutes into the second half and then scored his second of the game three minutes later to thrust Dallas into an unassailable lead.

The visitors responded with a goal of their own in the fifty-third minute from Manotas, but former Spurs full back Ziegler converted a penalty five minutes later to restore the home sides three goal advantage. Houston were awarded their own spot kick in the seventy-second minute which Elis buried with relative ease, but the visitors couldn’t muster any more goals and Dallas ran out 4-2 winners.

That victory ended a two game winless streak and kept Dallas on top of the pile in the Western Conference, but Sporting KC are just a point behind and LAFC are a further two behind and both could leapfrog Sunday’s hosts if they were to lose against Columbus Crew.

Belgian winger Lamah remains Dallas’ top scorer in the league this season with eight goals, but the pacey wide man has only scored twice in his last ten appearances for the Western Conference leaders. Columbus Crew’s top scorer Zardes is having better luck in front of goal than his Belgian counterpart, with four goals in his last six games and fifteen in the MLS so far this season.

However, the American forward was not on target as Columbus Crew beat Eastern Conference rivals New York City 2-1 at home before the international break, and this closely fought game saw the two sides go in at the break goalless.

Despite the hosts having the best of the play in the first half and during the early stages of the second, it was New York City that took the lead in the fifty-third minute when Ismael Tajouri found the ball fall fortuitously to him inside the box and he made no mistake when placing the ball into the far corner to hand New York City the lead.

This only seemed to inspire Columbus Crew though and the hosts were back on level terms shortly after the hour mark via defender Afful, who needed two bites at the cherry before beating Johnson with a shot from outside the box. Just two minutes after equalising Columbus Crew found themselves in front when Justin Meram scored a header which left Johnson with no chance in the New York City goal.

Despite some late pressure from the visitors, Columbus Crew held on to secure a valuable victory against one of the rivals for a top six finish in the Eastern Conference this season, and this result should give Sunday’s guests great belief heading into a tricky away game.

We’re confident that both teams will score on Sunday and that the game will end in a 1-1 draw. Both teams have scored in four of their last six meetings between these two clubs, and two of the last four meetings between the pair have ended in draws. Both teams have scored in five of Dallas’ and five of Columbus Crew’s last six matches.