Los Angeles FC v Columbus Crew: Nancy taking ´nothing for granted´ amid winning run

Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy has praised his side’s “humble” attitude ahead of their trip to Los Angeles FC in MLS on Saturday.

The Crew are on a four-match winning streak, scoring 15 goals and keeping three clean sheets during that run.

They sit third in the Eastern Conference, and after a 4-0 victory over Toronto FC last time out, Nancy showed his admiration for their impressive run.

“The fact that we are humble enough to accept that we have to improve all the time, the consequence of that is we are able to do something new and to improve all the time,” Nancy said.

“Again, this desire to get better and better depends on what the opposition is going to give us.

“[I’m proudest of] the fact that we don’t take anything for granted. That’s why we were able to attack well and to defend well. This is the spirit that I really like.”

LAFC, meanwhile, sit joint-top of the Western Conference, with Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy also on 43 points.

Their high-flying season has drawn attention, with head coach Steve Cherundolo’s name one of those linked to the currently vacant USA national team job.

Cherundolo has brushed aside any concerns that he will be leaving LA though, instead using it to highlight the club’s work this season.

“I am LAFC’s head coach right now,” he said. “That is my job, it’s what I do every day. We have training tomorrow and I will be there for it.

“I think it has more to do with LAFC and all that’s going on here.

“We’re all moving in the same direction. When the group functions well, individuals shine, it’s just a well-run organisation, and it’s partly my job to make sure we keep going in that direction.”

11 goals & 7 assists for Cucho this season.

Watch CLB vs LAFC this Saturday at 7:30pm ET for FREE on Apple TV: https://t.co/Pau6rQAX5s pic.twitter.com/o0sHO0hpSU

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 11, 2024

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga

Denis Bouanga (one goal) and Mateusz Bogusz (one assist) were each involved in a goal in LAFC’s 2-1 win against LA Galaxy last time out, the league-leading 10th time both have contributed to a goal in the same match this season.

Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi

Cucho Hernandez (11 goals, seven assists) and Diego Rossi (seven goals, nine assists) are one of two MLS team-mate duos to each have 7+ goals and 7+ assists in 2024, along with Real Salt Lake’s Cristian Arango and Andres Gomez.

MATCH PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES FC WIN

LAFC have won six consecutive regular-season home matches, scoring at least three goals in four of those wins. They have only one longer home-winning run in their history – a nine-match streak in 2022.

However, they lost to Columbus when the two last faced each other, as the Crew came out on top with a 2-1 victory in the 2023 MLS Cup Final last December. Prior to that match, LAFC had won all three of their meetings by a combined 7-0.

The Crew are coming off a 4-0 victory over Toronto FC, their second shutout win by at least four goals this season (4-0 over Sporting Kansas City last month). It is the first time Columbus have had multiple such wins in MLS play in a single season.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Los Angeles FC – 42.4%

Draw – 26.7%

Columbus Crew – 30.9%