Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy is refusing to get carried away after his side qualified for the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Despite losing to the Chicago Fire last time out, the Crew qualified for the postseason after the New York Red Bulls were defeated by rivals New York City elsewhere.

Although Columbus currently occupy a play-in spot in the Eastern Conference, they could move into an automatic play-off places if they beat Orlando City in their next match.

Nancy was not hung up on how the Crew secured their postseason berth, but the head coach is not looking too far ahead either.

“[We] keep going forward,” said Nancy after their defeat to Chicago. “The next step is the next game. I don't have the time to analyse this game. I’m going to do it later.

“We have to focus on what is coming. What is coming, this is something that we can control. The last game, we knew that game could be difficult, and that was what happened. Now, the most important thing is to focus on Orlando, and we'll see after that.”

Columbus goalkeeper Evan Bush added: “We're not satisfied, we're not content with that by any means.

“But the fact of the matter is, to go through the season and to have a lot of things to happen, to be in this position right now, with everything that we want to accomplish in terms of playing for an MLS Cup at the end of the year, that's still in place.”

Orlando are currently two points above Columbus in the East but have a game in hand over their counterparts.

They drew 1-1 with FC Cincinnati in their last match, extending their unbeaten run in MLS to three games.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Orlando City – Martin Ojeda

Ojeda scored a brace in Orlando’s last home match, bringing his total to 10 league goals at Inter&Co Stadium this season.

Ojeda’s 10 home goals are tied for the most in a single MLS season in club history, along with Facundo Torres in 2023.

Columbus Crew – Max Arfsten

Arfsten has recorded an assist in three of Columbus’ last four matches to bring his season total to six.

Arfsten has 14 regular-season assists since the beginning of 2024, with only Diego Rossi tallying more assists (15) for the club during that span.

MATCH PREDICTION – ORLANDO CITY WIN

Orlando’s 59 goals this season are tied for the most in a single MLS regular season in club history, matching last season’s output.

It is the third consecutive season that Orlando have either tied or set a new team record for goals scored.

The Crew have been shut out in three of their last six away MLS matches, after scoring at least once in each of their first 10 road league matches in 2025.

Since 2023, the Crew have been shut out eight times on the road, more than only Cincinnati (seven) among MLS teams that have played each of the last three seasons.

Orlando and Columbus have combined to score 81 goals across 22 regular-season meetings (3.7 per game) with at least one team scoring multiple goals in each of the last 10 league meetings between them. The last four regular-season meetings have seen each team score exactly 10 total goals. 

In their last six league matches, Orlando have won three, drawn two and lost one. Columbus, meanwhile, have won one, drawn two and lost three in their last six.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Orlando City – 43.8%

Draw – 26.8%

Columbus Crew – 29.4%