Columbus Crew face Toronto FC to start difficult stretch late in MLS regular season
Following a scoreless draw against FC Cincinnati on Saturday, Crew coach Wilfried Nancy held a team meeting ahead of practice on Monday. Focusing less on the Hell is Real result and more on rest of the season, Nancy stated that the meeting included Crew personnel such as athletic trainers and the team dietitian.
The Crew's ability to be healthy is a focal point for Nancy in the late stage of the season.
The draw against Cincinnati was enough to secure Columbus a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs, occurring with seven regular-season games left on the schedule, while also playing 13 additional tournament games, making both the CONCACAF Champions Cup and Leagues Cup finals. Last year, the Crew clinched the playoff berth with five games to play.
But the Crew will play eight games in the next 31 days, with five against playoff teams, starting with Wednesday's road match. Other teams they will face in the stretch are Inter Miami, Orlando City SC and Liga MX's Club America for the Campeones Cup.
"We each have to take care of our bodies. We’re used to it," Crew midfielder Max Arfsten said. "We know we can do it because we’ve done it before. ... We want to head into the playoffs on a good note, and getting through this as healthy as possible. So I think that’s the mentality that we’re pushing with.”
More: How Max Arfsten found his way to 'full confidence' in Columbus Crew's starting lineup
There have been multiple Crew players who have suffered short-term injuries, but the only player who has been out for over a month this season is goalkeeper Evan Bush. Bush broke his left arm against Real Salt Lake in April, and after rebreaking the same arm in June, has yet to be cleared for action.
Every other player is healthy and available for Wednesday, including Yevhen Cheberko. Despite missing the Cincinnati match with neck discomfort, Cheberko should be available against Toronto.
"Yes, there is the work with Jules Gueguen, the fitness guy, and all the medical staff," Nancy said. "But this (the Crew's success) is also the players. They are able to get out of their comfort zone. And everybody talks about the success that I have. I don’t have a success. My players give me this possibility to write something. And without my players, I am nobody.”
What to expect in Columbus Crew vs Toronto FC
Officially, the Crew have faced Toronto once this season. On July 6, Columbus picked up a 4-0 victory over Toronto during the course of a five-game winning streak.
What is left out of the Crew's official record books is a match before the start of the season this year.
Taking part in a preseason game that felt more like "real game" according to Nancy, the two clubs became familiar with each other. Nancy and Toronto coach John Herdman have known each other since before Herdman took over in Toronto in 2023. It's part of the reason Nancy is expecting a battle against Toronto, which is in the hunt for a playoff spot, sitting in eighth in the conference.
"John (Herdman) is going to cook something," Nancy said. "Obviously, yes, we won, but I remember that we had also a few moments where we struggled a bit, and it’s normal. So, they’re going to try to go in. They’re going try to press us. They’re going to try to match us. So they know exactly the way we want to play, so we’re going to have to be clever and creative.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew vs Toronto FC: Crew to start another congested stretch
