Columbus Crew vs CF Montreal Prediction & Betting Tips - Major League Soccer

Prediction published on 20/10/2023, 15:11  by Joseph King | Modified on 20/10/2023 at 15:16 in Major League Soccer Predictions

The final day in the 2023 MLS regular season, dubbed: Decision Day, is upon us as the fourth-place Columbus Crew take on eighth-placed Montreal. Columbus are assured of a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs but will be playing to keep hold of their home field advantage. Montreal, meanwhile, will be trying to earn a spot in the newly-introduced play-in game for their shot at qualifying for the postseason proper. The Crew hold a two-point lead over fifth-place New England who would overtake them with a win and a Columbus loss. The top four positions in the conference earn home field advantage for the first round of the playoffs so they’re is still plenty on the line for the hosts. Columbus come into this matchup off the back of a 1-1 away draw with Atlanta United two weeks ago. It was the fifth straight game without a loss for Wilfried Nancy's men, although three of those results during that stretch have finished in stalemates.

Montreal currently sit eighth in the standings in what is an extremely crowded bottom-half of the Eastern Conference. There is no hope of them automatically qualifying for the playoffs with a top-seven spot, so the play-in is their only way entry path. The new system implemented by the league sees eighth and ninth-place playing a one-off game to determine the final playoff participant. Le CFM will be trying to hold off the other four teams that can steal their spot, those teams being Chicago, NYRB, Charlotte and NYCFC. Montreal holds a slim one point lead over three of the aforementioned four teams who are each on 40 points, and a three point lead over NYCFC. The visitors can secure eighth with a victory but haven’t been in the best form to end the year. A 4-1 home victory over Portland in their last outing was the team’s first win in the last seven games.