The Men in Red extended their unbeaten streak to six games across all competitions on Wednesday night (4-0-2), coming behind to defeat the Colorado Rapids 2-1. Columbus notched a big win against Montreal last time out and face difficult trips to Kansas City and LA after the Saturday’s home game against the Fire.
Here are some things to keep an eye on from a tactical perspective in this big match for both teams (LIVE Saturday 6:30pm CT on My50).
The turnover game - both teams will look to pressure each other’s back line
In the Crew’s most recent loss to the Union earlier this month, the Ohio team had major problems retaining possession when put under pressure. The Union forwards, especially Jack McInerny, did not allow Columbus time on the ball and the pressure led to Philly getting on the score sheet.
Johnson, Rolfe Preview Columbus
As we know, players like Mike Magee, Chris Rolfe and Patrick Nyarko are excellent at putting pressure on the opponent’s defense and this will be important on Saturday night.
On the other side of the coin, the Crew like to deploy the high pressure tactic too, with former Fire player Dominic Oduro often hunting down defenders and not allowing them time on the ball.
READ: Berry recovers from blunder with winning goal vs. Rapids
In the Crew's 2-0 win over the Montreal Impact last weekend, Oduro stole the ball from a Montreal defender before slotting home the Crew's second goal in the 22nd minute.
Fire defender Austin Berry had an unfortunate incident in Wednesday's match against Colorado where he was stripped of the ball allowing rookie Deshorn Brown to give Colorado the lead.
In a game that is expected to be very tight, the team making the least mental mistakes could end up on top.
The battle on the left side - Duka/Lindpere vs Anor
Columbus winger Bernardo Anor won many plaudits for his performance against Montreal last week on his first start back from a horrible ACL injury.
The left-footed Venezuelan started on the right against the Impact and will be looking to build on that performance against the Fire Saturday night.
On the same side of the field, coach Frank Klopas will be choosing between former Crew winger Dilly Duka and veteran Joel Lindpere for the start.
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Duka played his best game for the Men in Red against Colorado on Wednesday night as he was able to get in 1v1 situations on numerous occasions and earned the penalty that equalized the match.
Lindpere has yet to fully live up to the high expectations put on him by Fire fans after his move from New York this offseason.
With the team in the middle of a 4 games in 11 day stretch, a start for Lindpere seems plausible.
Getting back into the stating XI in a huge Eastern Conference showdown could be the perfect motivation for Lindpere to put in a man of the match performance on Saturday night.
Dominic Oduro - A striker with a point to prove
With seven goals to his name this season, Dominic Oduro has landed on his feet in Columbus after his trade away from the Windy City. Oduro also seems to have developed into a more complete striker since his move.
The speedy Ghanaian’s patience on the ball has resulted in him making better decisions and linking with his midfielders more instead of going alone and trying to score.
What has impressed me about Oduro since the trade is his move away from a reliance on his right foot to a player that is comfortable shooting with both.
READ: The Influence of Jeff Larentowicz
Fire fans will remember Oduro's hot and cold finishing but on his day, he can be unstoppable. The Fire have held Oduro scoreless in two matches already this season but at home, the Ghanaian will be aiming to prove a point and it is up to the Fire defenders to keep him quiet on Saturday night.
Prediction: 2-1 Fire with a brace from midfielder Alex
Stephen Piggott is a contributor to Chicago-Fire.com. Follow him on Twitter @irish_steve.
