NYCFC travel to Lower.com Field to face the Columbus Crew looking for a second win in three matches.
Columbus is coming off of a frustrating 2-2 draw against Miami in which they twice took the lead through Darlington Nagbe and Christian Ramirez only to see Josef Martinez equalize for a second time in the 90th minute.
The Crew sit fourth in the Eastern Conference and face an NYCFC side that dominated last time out against Charlotte, but needed an 81st-minute goal from Braian Cufre to salvage a point.
This has not been a happy hunting ground for the Boys In Blue, who have won just once in their history in Columbus while the Crew are unbeaten in their last six matches at Lower.com Field.
Team news
Will Sands remains out with a knee injury and is Columbus' only absence.
James Sands is away on international duty at the Gold Cup while Thiago Martins is still recovering from knee surgery and remains sidelined.
Predicted lineups
Columbus Crew: Schulte; Amundsen, Degenek, Moreira; Diaz, Matan, Nagbe, Yeboah; Hernandez, Ramirez, Zelarayan
NYCFC: Barraza; Gray, Chanot, Alfaro; Ilenic, Morales, Parks, Cufre; Pellegrini, Rodriguez; Pereira
Ones to watch
Christian Ramirez (Columbus Crew)
Columbus has scored 42 goals, most in MLS and Ramirez is front and center of the Crew's scoring barrage with five goals in his last six matches.
Talles Magno (NYCFC)
Having not produced at the rate and level expected of him, the Brazilian is coming off of an encouraging performance against Charlotte in which he had four shots, all on target and was a threat in the attacking third.
Previous meetings
Less than a month ago, the two sides played out a 1-1 draw with NYCFC rescuing a point in stoppage time.
Columbus was in front three minutes after halftime as a throw-in by Mo Farsi caught the Boys In Blue off-guard. Cucho Hernandez chipped the ball to Alex Matan, whose cross found Christian Ramirez and he beat Luis Barraza.
It looked as though the Crew would take all three points home with them until a pass by Richy Ledezma deflected off of a Columbus player and fell to Gabe Segal, who scored his second goal of the season in stoppage time.
How to watch
The match will be streamed nationally on Apple TV + with Jake Zivin as the play-by-play announcer and Kyndra de St. Aubin as the analyst.
Kickoff is set for 7:30pm Eastern time.