FC Dallas vs Columbus Crew Prediction

Dallas riding an attacking wave, Columbus stop-start

FC Dallas have won 12 of their last 20 in all competitions, with just four defeats in that spell. They've also been scoring freely, netting 36 in those 20 games, including a 5-0 win over Vancouver and a 4-3 shootout against Sporting Kansas City. The flip side is a defence that's shipped 30 in the same run, so it hasn't all been comfortable.

FC Dallas: 20 completed matches; Columbus Crew: 20 completed matches.

FC Dallas

20 matches

Win

55% 11 / 20

Draw

20% 4 / 20

Loss

25% 5 / 20

Scored

34

Conceded

32

Difference

+2

Columbus Crew

20 matches

Win

40% 8 / 20

Draw

15% 3 / 20

Loss

45% 9 / 20

Scored

32

Conceded

31

Difference

+1

Columbus Crew's last 20 tell a rockier story: eight wins, eight losses and four draws. They've lost as many as they've won, with a 0-2 defeat at Montreal and a 0-1 loss at home to New York Red Bulls among the recent setbacks. There have been bright spots too, like a 3-0 win over Colorado, but the overall pattern is inconsistent.

Dallas look the more reliable side of the two heading into this stretch, even allowing for their own defensive lapses.

Comparative Team Statistics: FC Dallas vs Columbus Crew

History doesn't tell us much here

These two have met ten times going back to 2012, and it's a fairly even split with plenty of draws mixed in, including 1-1 in 2023 and 2-2 in 2020. There's no real pattern of one side dominating the fixture.

The catch is that the most recent meeting was back in September 2023, over three years before this one. Both squads have changed a good deal since then, so this history says little about the current sides.

A big gap in the table

FC Dallas sit second with 47 points from 27 games, having won 13 and lost just six. Columbus, by contrast, are down in 14th on 26 points from 26 matches, with 14 defeats already this season.

That's a sizeable points gap for this stage of the campaign, and it lines up with what the recent form shows. Columbus have also conceded 42 goals already, matching Dallas's tally despite playing fewer games and sitting so much lower.

Musa's the man to watch, Columbus carrying more fitness doubts

Dallas's attack has a clear focal point in P. Musa, who's scored 18 goals in 23 appearances this season, with J. Valiente supplying eight assists in 24 games. That's a strong platform if it holds up on the night.

FC Dallas:

Best scorers:

P. Musa - 18

Best assist providers:

J. Valiente - 8

Injury list:

J. Sirois

A. A. Julio Santos

Columbus Crew:

Injury list:

I. Aliyu

W. Abou Ali

N. Hagen

S. Moreira

G. Tapia

S. Bangoura

R. Camacho

L. Giaccone

Columbus have a longer list of fitness concerns showing up in the data, including I. Aliyu, S. Bangoura, R. Camacho and L. Giaccone as injury doubts, plus W. Abou Ali listed as missing a fixture with a knee issue. A few Columbus players are also down as away on international duty, though that's tied to the current window rather than this specific October date. Dallas have a couple of question marks too in J. Sirois and A. Julio Santos. None of this confirms who's actually out come matchday, given how far off the fixture still is.

Worth revisiting nearer kickoff, since a month is plenty of time for these fitness situations to change.

How this one could play out

Dallas have been the more prolific side going forward and are also picking up more points, which points to a game where they're expected to carry things. Columbus have shown they can score goals too, but their away form in this sample has been shaky, with three defeats in their last six on the road.

Given both sides have leaked goals this season, a fairly open contest wouldn't be a surprise, even if Dallas look better placed to control it.