Venue & Game Details
Location: TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Kickoff: 7:30 PM ET
Competition: MLS Cup Playoffs, Round One (Best-of-3 series, “Hell Is Real” Derby)
Broadcast: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
Weather Forecast
Conditions: Clear skies, crisp fall evening
Temperature: ~54°F at kickoff
Wind: 6–10 mph from the west
Impact: Ideal conditions for attacking play; no major weather disruptions expected.
Injury Report
FC Cincinnati:
Out: Jabbari, Orellano, Smith, Engel, Miazga
Healthy: Evander Ferreira (18 goals, 13 assists in 2025), Luciano Acosta, Roman Celentano (GK)
Columbus Crew SC:
Out: Diego Rossi, Ali, Farsi
Healthy: Hugo Picard (emerging winger), Cucho Hernández, Darlington Nagbe
Key Player Matchups
Evander Ferreira (Cincinnati MF) vs. Darlington Nagbe (Columbus MF): Ferreira’s creativity and scoring touch will be tested against Nagbe’s control and distribution.
Cucho Hernández (Columbus FW) vs. Roman Celentano (Cincinnati GK): Cucho’s finishing ability is Columbus’ best chance to break through; Celentano has been one of MLS’s top shot-stoppers.
Luciano Acosta (Cincinnati MF) vs. Columbus Backline: Acosta’s ability to link play and create chances is critical for Cincinnati’s attack.
Recent Team Form
FC Cincinnati:
Last 5: 3-2, including Game 1 win over Columbus (1-0).
Strength: Strong midfield creativity, home-field advantage.
Weakness: Defensive depth impacted by injuries.
Columbus Crew SC:
Last 5: 3-2, including Game 2 win (3-1).
Strength: High chance creation, playoff pedigree (MLS Cup 2023 winners).
Weakness: Missing key attackers (Rossi).
Series History
2025 Playoffs: Series tied 1-1 (Cincinnati 1-0 win; Columbus 3-1 win)
All-Time H2H (“Hell Is Real” Derby): Columbus leads overall, but Cincinnati has won 3 of last 5 meetings.
Betting Trends:
Cincinnati has won 4 of last 5 home matches.
Columbus has scored 2+ goals in 3 of last 4 matches.
Both playoff games in this series have hit Under 3 goals.
Projected Score: FC Cincinnati 2, Columbus Crew SC 1
MATCH ODDS
FC Cincinnati + 135 Draw + 250 Columbus Crew SC + 160
Over 2.5 – 180 Under 2.5 + 140
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, November 7, 2025
