Charlotte FC vs Columbus Crew Prediction: Rossi to put paid to hosts’ Bank of America record

The Columbus Crew will look to continue their unbeaten start to the 2024 MLS season on Saturday when they make the trip to North Carolina to face Charlotte FC at the Bank of America Stadium, where the hosts haven't lost since May 2023. The Crew have taken 10 points from their first four games to sit second and level on points with Eastern Conference leaders Inter Miami, who have played a match more.

It's not been so plain sailing for Saturday's hosts who are in 11th after losing their last two. Below is our Charlotte FC vs Columbus Crew prediction, together with all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Charlotte supporters will have to wait a little longer to see record signing Liel Abada in action as the recent arrival from Celtic is on international duty with Israel.

Head coach Dean Smith is also set to be without Jere Uronen at full-back, with the Finland international taking on Wales in a Euro 2024 play-off semi-final on Thursday. It remains to be seen whether the 29-year-old would swiftly return to the States if his nation is knocked out

Ashley Westwood, Nathan Byrne and Scott Arfield will be names familiar to those of a Premier League and EFL persuasion.

The Columbus Crew have five players - Nicholas Hagen (Guatemala), Jacen Russell-Rowe (Canada), Taha Habroune (USA U19), Aidan Morris and Patrick Schulte (both USA U23) - out on international duty, but the big news is that star man Cucho Hernandez has not been called up by Colombia.

Hernandez scored 21 and registered 13 assists across 33 MLS and MLS Cup play-off matches last season and already has four direct contributions (three goals, one assist) in four appearances so far this term.

Match Odds

Charlotte beat New York City 1-0 in their first home game of the season and are 13/8 - or a 38.1% chance - to make it back-to-back wins at the Bank of America Stadium. The visitors have been priced as 7/5 favourites though, which shouldn't bee too much of a surprise given the 14 points difference between them last year.

The two meetings between these sides in 2023 produced a win each but the three games before that saw a hat-trick of draws; it's 11/5 for a return to stalemate on Saturday. Both teams to score, meanwhile, can be found at 4/6.

Columbus Crew to win and over 2.5 goals @ 11/4

Two of the Crew's three league wins this term have seen at least three goals scored in the match (3-0 v New York Red Bulls, 2-1 v Chicago Fire), while Charlotte's 2-1 defeat to Nashville last week also saw over 2.5 goals land.

Goals are usually a safe bet when it comes to the 2023 MLS Cup winners, whose tally of 67 goals in the regular season was more than any other side in the Eastern and Western Conference. They did also ship 46 goals and have already conceded to Chicago Fire and Minnesota United this season.

Meanwhile, Charlotte have only failed to strike in one match this term - a 1-0 defeat to Toronto FC on March 9 - and will expect to find the net in front of their own fans on Saturday.

Ultimately, a goal or two should prove in vain with the visitors able to outscore anyone.

Diego Rossi to score anytime @ 12/5

Cucho is the obvious pick to score in Charlotte, but it might be time to back Diego Rossi to open his account for the season.

The Uruguayan has started every match in MLS for the Crew but has only been able to assist (twice) so far. He did score three times in 10 appearances in the competition last season though, and added two more in the MLS Cup play-offs.

Rossi was also prolific in his Los Angeles FC days, hitting the net 48 times in 104 regular season matches, and he averages two shots per game in the current campaign.

Surely it's about time his efforts paid off?

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.