Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew – MLS, September 12, 2020

It’s top vs. bottom in the Eastern Conference on Saturday, September 12, as high-flying Columbus visits struggling Chicago. The Crew extended their unbeaten streak to three games last weekend with a routine win over Cincinnati, while the Fire suffered their third defeat in five games last time out.

It goes without saying that Columbus is expected to win this game. But can Chicago upset the odds? Keep reading to see my Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew prediction and betting pick.

Considering the mammoth 15-point gulf between these two sides, I’m surprised the odds for the Columbus win aren’t a lot lower for this game. I would also expect the price for the Chicago win to be far higher, although the online betting sites have clearly taken the Fire’s home advantage into account here.

Let’s take a closer look at the teams.

With just two wins from ten games this season, it’s clear that 2020 has been a bad year for Chicago. The Illinois club has the worst defensive record in the Eastern Conference, so it’s hardly surprising the see the Fire rooted to the foot of the table.

Raphael Wicky’s men returned from the MLS is Back Tournament with four points to their name, but they have only managed to add a further four points to their tally since then. A win and a draw against Cincinnati gave Chicago a glimmer of hope, although recent defeats to Columbus, New York City, and New England Revolution prove that the Fire is nowhere near the country’s top clubs.

By contrast, the Crew has only lost one of their ten regular-season outings this year. Seven victories and two draws have seen the Ohio club cement top stop in the standings, with their defense conceding just two goals in the process.

Columbus secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Chicago just last month, with Derrick Etienne, Darlington Nagbe, and Gyasi Zardes all getting on the scoresheet. Since then, the Black & Gold has edged Philadelphia Union and thrashed Cincinnati, so it’s difficult to imagine the Fire stopping Columbus from clinching a fourth win in six games.

Chicago has fired four blanks in their previous seven outings. Needless to say, Wicky’s men are bound to struggle against the division’s meanest defense.

Given that you can more than double your money by backing Columbus to win this game, going with the away win feels like a no-brainer to me. At the end of the day, the table doesn’t lie. The Crew is playing some beautiful soccer at the moment and is miles ahead of Chicago for a reason. I would be shocked if the Fire gets anything from this matchup.