NYCFC vs Columbus Crew preview: Final home game before World Cup break | OneFootball

It will be a busy couple of weeks for New York City FC, and it all starts with Sunday’s game with the Columbus Crew.  The Boys in Blue will play five matches in 14 days, with four of the five being on the road.  In fact, the matchup with the Crew will be the final home game before the World Cup break.

Therefore, the pressure to win, and yes, this has been said multiple times this season, is immense.  NYCFC is in the middle of a seven-game winless streak in Major League Soccer, and it would be great to end it in front of the fans.  More importantly, the longer it goes on, the harder it will be to end it.  They also do not want to continue the winless streak at home since supporters have already seen all the losses and draws that have occurred at Citi Field and Yankee Stadium.

The issue at hand is that despite Columbus’ similar record, the Pigeons are without multiple players.  As one will see below, the injury list can create a ton of doubt about whether the team can secure three points.  However, perhaps one of the players who does not start or barely plays can be the hero that the team needs.

Things feel bleak, and it is easy to be numb about the results this year.  Nevertheless, here is a preview of the match between NYCFC and the Columbus Crew.

NYCFC vs Columbus Crew preview

Date

NYCFC and Columbus will play on Sunday, May 10.

Time

The game will begin at 4:30 PM ET.

Location

The match be at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY.

How to watch

Fans can watch the fixture on Apple TV.

Weather

When the match begins, it will be around 69 degrees and cloudy skies.  There is a slight chance of rain, but it should remain dry throughout the afternoon and evening.  The humidity will decline from earlier in the day, hovering just over 50%.  The big thing throughout the rest of the spring will be the pollen, for it is extremely high, so anyone with allergies should prepare.

Injury report

Seven players are out against the Crew.  Drew Baiera (leg), Talles Magno (leg), Alonso Martínez (leg), Max Murray (leg), Andrés Perea (leg), Aiden O’Neill (leg), and Kevin O’Toole (leg) are all missing. Perea is the one surprise to be added to the list.

Players to watch

In the last meeting, NYCFC beat Columbus at home, securing the first win against the side since 2022.  Hannes Wolf was a hero in the game since he scored twice.  The Austrian has not been at his best in 2026, so this would be a perfect match for him to shine.  Hence, he is the one to watch.  He could easily have the performance of the season, and the Pigeons really need him to do well.

Then, fans should also watch Dániel Gazdag on the Crew.  The Hungarian player has not been the player that he was for the Philadelphia Union in Ohio.  Columbus really needs him to get going, for they need him to help them in the attack.  But the Boys in Blue do not want him to start against them, so they must stop him and others.

Prediction

While it would be great for the winless streak to end, based on the missing players, the fact that the Crew has won in the last few weeks, and the issues with beating the Ohio team, the streak will continue.  NYCFC will share the points with Columbus, playing to a 2-2 draw.  At the very least, they will score and earn a point, but it will not be good enough.