Our soccer betting expert offers his New York City FC vs Columbus Crew predictions & betting tips ahead of their MLS clash at Yankee Stadium on Friday
One of the strongest home teams in the MLS, New York City FC, will go head-to-head with one of the strongest road teams in the league, the Columbus Crew.
New York City FC vs Columbus Crew Predictions and Betting Tips
- NYCFC to win and both teams to score @ +275 with bet365
- Alonso Martinez to score anytime @ +333 with bet365
- James Sands to be booked @ +225 with bet365
All odds are courtesy of bet365 and are correct at the time of publishing. However, they are subject to change.
New York to Ramp Up Top Spot Chase
The Pigeons are in top form heading into this encounter after winning their last five MLS games on the bounce.
Last time out, New York thrashed the San Jose Earthquakes 5-1 to keep their hopes of catching the top spot in the Eastern Conference alive. As it stands they’re six points off with two games in hand.
NYCFC currently has the strongest home record in the Eastern Conference, having only lost twice at Yankee Stadium this season.
On the other hand, Columbus are riding a three-game winning streak going into this matchup. With all of those victories being on the road.
To make the fixture even more enticing, the Crew have only lost once on the road all season, and are one of the conference’s strongest road sides.
It should be an entertaining clash between two in-form teams, however, home advantage could tip this one in favor of New York.
New York City FC vs Columbus Crew Tip 1: NYCFC to win and both teams to score @ +275 with bet365
Hat-Trick Hero to Bag Again
Going into the final 10 minutes of their last game against the San Jose Earthquakes, New York were holding a narrow 2-1 lead. This was until they scored three late goals to secure a commanding 5-1 victory.
All three late goals were scored by substitute Alonso Martinez, with the 25-year-old bagging a hat-trick.
The majority of Martinez’s appearances this season have come off the bench, yet he has six goals to his name in just 401 minutes of action and is NYCFC’s joint-top goal scorer.
The Costa Rican striker will be full of confidence after his late-game heroics and could be worth backing to find the back of the goal again.
New York City FC vs Columbus Crew Tip 2: Alonso Martinez to score anytime @ +333 with bet365
The Booking Streak Continues
Versatile defensive player, James Sands, always seems to find himself at the heart of the action for New York.
The 23-year-old is the team’s most booked player, with six yellow cards in just 16 appearances.
He is the ninth most-booked player in the entire league, has picked up bookings in his last two appearances, and has three yellow cards in his last four games.
Another passionate, action-filled contest looks to be set to take place. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Sands pick up another booking.
New York City FC vs Columbus Crew Tip 3: James Sands to be booked @ +225 with bet365