Seattle Sounders welcome Columbus Crew to Lumen Field in a high-stakes MLS Week 23 showdown between two playoff contenders. With both teams in the top five of their respective conferences, this cross-conference battle could have significant implications for the Supporters’ Shield race and postseason seeding.
Match Details
| Fixture | Seattle Sounders vs Columbus Crew |
| Date | Sunday, July 7, 2025 |
| Kickoff | 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT |
| Venue | Lumen Field, Seattle, WA |
| Broadcast | MLS Season Pass on Apple TV |
| Head-to-Head | Seattle unbeaten in last 4 home games vs Columbus |
Current Form & Standings
| Team | Record | Points | Last 5 Matches |
| Seattle Sounders | 8–6–5 | 30 pts (5th West) | W–L–L–L–W |
| Columbus Crew | 10–3–7 | 37 pts (4th East) | W–W–W–L–D |
Seattle snapped a 5-game losing streak with a 2–0 win over Austin FC.
Columbus are on a 3-game winning streak, including a 1–0 win over Philadelphia Union.
Tactical Breakdown
Seattle Sounders
Strengths: Home form, defensive structure, set pieces
Key Players:
Jesús Ferreira: Scored vs Austin, 6 goals in 2025
Albert Rusnák: Creative fulcrum in midfield
Stefan Frei: Veteran goalkeeper with 7 clean sheets
Injuries/Suspensions:
Paul Arriola (ACL), Kim Kee-Hee (calf), Yeimar Andrade (muscle), Reed Baker-Whiting (suspended)
Columbus Crew
Strengths: Possession play, tactical discipline, attacking width
Key Players:
Diego Rossi: 7 goals, 5 assists – dynamic winger
Jacen Russell-Rowe: 6 goals – pacey forward
Darlington Nagbe: Midfield general with 90% pass accuracy
Injuries/Suspensions:
Patrick Schulte, Nicholas Hagen (goalkeepers), Rudy Camacho (hamstring – questionable)
Key Matchups to Watch
| Duel | Edge |
| Ferreira vs. Cheberko/Zawadzki | Seattle – home form and movement |
| Rossi vs. Roldan | Columbus – pace and creativity |
| Rusnák vs. Nagbe | Even – midfield control battle |
Advanced Stats Snapshot
| Metric | Seattle Sounders | Columbus Crew |
| Goals Scored | 27 | 33 |
| Goals Conceded | 25 | 26 |
| Clean Sheets | 7 | 5 |
| xG Differential | +2.8 | +6.4 |
| Home Record | 6–2–1 | Away Record: 3–3–4 |
X-Factor Players
Albert Rusnák (SEA): Needs to dictate tempo and unlock Columbus’ backline
Jacen Russell-Rowe (CLB): Breakout forward with pace to exploit Seattle’s high line
MATCH ODDS
Seattle Sounder FC – 105 Draw + 245 Columbus Crew SC + 245
Over 2.5 – 140 Under 2.5 + 105
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, July 5, 2025
