FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew prediction — MLS · Sun 18 Oct · 22:00 UK

MLS · Sun 18 Oct · 22:00 UK
FC Cincinnati 42Draw 24Columbus Crew 34
FC Cincinnati or draw is at 66%, where it was 6 days ago
The call
66%
FC Cincinnati or draw
Calls on the result published at 60–70% have landed 69% of the time
151 of 220 settledFull record →
3.3
Goals expected
5d 09hUntil lineups lock
Goal before half-time
77%
Both teams score
66%
3+ goals
65%

What we expect

Our forecast for this match. The tick on each bar is that side’s average over their last six.

what we expecttheir average over the last six
FC CincinnatiColumbus Crew
1.8
Goals+0.2
1.6
avg 1.5 · 5 away · 2+ in 3/6
avg 1.7 · 3 away · 2+ in 4/6
13.9
Shots
13.9
avg 17.0 · 5 away · 14+ in 4/6
avg 16.2 · 3 away · 14+ in 4/6
5.8
On target+1.2
4.6
avg 5.7 · 5 away · 6+ in 3/6
avg 6.3 · 3 away · 5+ in 3/6
4.3
Corners+0.7
5.0
avg 5.7 · 5 away · 4+ in 5/6
avg 5.7 · 3 away · 5+ in 4/6
FC CincinnatiColumbus Crew
0.5
Goals+0.1
0.6
6.4
Shots+0.1
6.3
2.7
On target+0.6
2.1
2.0
Corners+0.3
2.4
FC CincinnatiColumbus Crew
1.3
Goals+0.3
1.0
7.5
Shots+0.1
7.6
3.1
On target+0.6
2.5
2.3
Corners+0.3
2.7

Each row is drawn on one scale, so a bar means the same length on both sides. Second-half goals are our full-match forecast minus our first half.

How to read this

The small bars under each number are that side’s most recent matches (up to six), home and away, against opponents of mixed strength, oldest on the left; the dashed line is the number we expect. Our forecast is for this opponent at this ground, so a favourite’s recent numbers often sit below it and an underdog’s above it.

Recent averages · last 6 matches

What each side has actually done lately, home and away — a record, not a forecast.

FC CincinnatiColumbus Crew
Attack
1.5Goals1.7
1.9Expected goals (xG)2.0
17.0Shots16.2
5.7Shots on target6.3
3.7Big chances3.2
5.7Corners5.7
Defence
3.0Goals conceded1.2
1.9xG conceded1.3
14.2Shots faced11.3
5.0On target faced4.2
4.7Corners conceded2.8
2.2Keeper saves3.0
Style & discipline
52%Possession54%
9.2Fouls12.8
1.8Yellow cards2.5
0.7Offsides2.5

Our numbers, most likely first

Ranked by our probability, strongest first — our three strongest above the line.

MarketProbability6-day change
Over 1.5 goals85%+1
FC Cincinnati to score83%+1
Columbus Crew to score79%0
Over 2.5 goals65%+1

In plain English

FC Cincinnati are more likely than not to avoid defeat, but it is close. Columbus Crew have won three of the last five between them. Expect goals: the model sees around three.

What would change the call

FC Cincinnati or draw, priced again from the same expected goals if the match reaches these states.

FC Cincinnati lead 1–0 at half-time66% → 91%
Columbus Crew lead 1–0 at half-time66% → 36%
Goalless at half-time66% → 70%

Each row is the call re-priced for that scoreline at half-time. Lineups are not in it — we publish per-player shooting rates, not a squad-strength number, so what a rested front three does to this figure is not something we can honestly put a number on.

FC Cincinnati · last 6

Wat Atlanta United3–113 shots
Lat CF Montréal1–318 shots
Dat Houston Dynamo FC2–226 shots
Dv Charlotte FC3–329 shots
Lat Philadelphia Union0–51 shots
Lat Nashville SC0–415 shots

Columbus Crew · last 6

Lat Orlando City2–327 shots
Wv Inter Miami CF2–114 shots
Wat CF Montréal2–013 shots
Lv Red Bull New York0–112 shots
Lat DC United1–216 shots
Wv Colorado Rapids3–015 shots

First half — what we expect

FC Cincinnati
48%
to score before half-time
Columbus Crew
55%
to score before half-time

Chance of at least one goal before half-time: 77%

FC CincinnatiColumbus Crew
6.41st-half shots6.3
avg 5.3 · 5 away · 6+ in 3/6
avg 6.7 · 3 away · 6+ in 4/6
2.71st-half shots on target2.1
avg 1.2 · 5 away · 3+ in 1/6
avg 2.2 · 3 away · 2+ in 4/6
2.01st-half corners2.4
avg 1.7 · 5 away · 2+ in 3/6
avg 2.3 · 3 away · 2+ in 4/6

First-half chances

70%Chance of 5+ shots69%
44%Chance of 7+ shots43%
71%Chance of 2+ shots on target58%
29%Chance of 4+ shots on target18%
82%Chance of 1+ corners86%
33%Chance of 3+ corners40%

How the match splits

1st half2nd half
Shots · FC Cincinnati6.47.5
Shots · Columbus Crew6.37.6
Shots on target · FC Cincinnati2.73.1
Shots on target · Columbus Crew2.12.5
Corners · FC Cincinnati2.02.3
Corners · Columbus Crew2.42.7
How to read this

First-half numbers are our full-match forecast split by how much of each side's shooting and corners usually comes before the break. The small bars under each number are that side's most recent first halves (up to six).

Second half — who scores?

At half-time we update each side’s chance of scoring in the second half from what the first half showed.

Player forecasts

How much each player is expected to threaten the goal if he starts — lineups are confirmed about an hour before kickoff.

Based on counted shooting from the 2025 and 2026 seasons in this competition.

FC Cincinnati
1+ shot1+ on target2+ on target
Evander Ferreira
MF · 3.7 shots expected
97%
78%
44%
Kévin Denkey
FW · 3.1 shots expected
95%
77%
43%
Kenji Mboma Dem
FW · 3.0 shots expected
95%
66%
30%
Luca Orellano
MF · 2.6 shots expected
93%
66%
30%
Tom Barlow
FW · 2.5 shots expected
92%
74%
39%
Kei Ansu Kamara
FW · 2.2 shots expected
89%
55%
19%
Columbus Crew
1+ shot1+ on target2+ on target
Diego Rossi
FW · 3.4 shots expected
97%
76%
42%
Jacen Russell-Rowe
FW · 2.7 shots expected
93%
70%
33%
Ibrahim Aliyu
FW · 2.0 shots expected
86%
53%
17%
Hugo Picard
MF · 1.8 shots expected
83%
42%
11%
Dániel Gazdag
MF · 1.7 shots expected
82%
48%
14%
Taha Habroune
FW · 1.6 shots expected
80%
53%
17%

These are forecasts, not tips. A player’s rate is weighted toward the league average when it rests on fewer minutes, so a small sample never reads as a certainty.

Model inputs

FC Cincinnati form (last 6)L L D D L W
Expected goals gap (home minus away)+0.2 / match
Head-to-head, last 5FC Cincinnati 2 · Draws 0 · Columbus Crew 3
Columbus Crew in their league tableBottom quarter

Head to head

Jul 2026Columbus Crew 2–1 FC Cincinnati
Nov 2025FC Cincinnati 2–1 Columbus Crew
Nov 2025Columbus Crew 4–0 FC Cincinnati
Oct 2025FC Cincinnati 1–0 Columbus Crew
Jul 2025FC Cincinnati 2–4 Columbus Crew
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Common questions

Who will win FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew?

Bawler's model rates this match: FC Cincinnati are favoured (42% win probability vs 34% for Columbus Crew, 24% draw). The model uses each side’s expected goals, recent form and the strength of the opposition.

What is the predicted score for FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew?

The most likely scoreline from Bawler's model is FC Cincinnati 1-1 Columbus Crew (10.4% probability). Expected total goals: 3.3.

How does Bawler predict FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew?

Bawler estimates each side's expected goals from its results and the quality of its chances, adjusted for the strength of the opposition and for home advantage, then works out the chance of every scoreline to get win, draw and both-teams-to-score probabilities. Team news and lineups are not built into these numbers. For this match that gives FC Cincinnati 42%, the draw 24% and Columbus Crew 34%. Every prediction is published before kickoff and settled afterwards.

Will both teams score in FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew?

Probably — Bawler's model gives both teams scoring a 66% chance. That is based on FC Cincinnati expecting 1.77 goals and Columbus Crew 1.58.

Over or under 2.5 goals in FC Cincinnati vs Columbus Crew?

Bawler's model expects 3.3 goals in total. It leans towards three or more goals: over 2.5 goals is 65%.

Around this fixture

MLS table →
All fixtures & results →FC Cincinnati form →Columbus Crew form →