Daniel Gazdag and Lassi Lappalainen are able to kick on after scoring their first objectives for the Columbus Crew, coach Wilfried Nancy declared forward of the go to of Orlando Metropolis.
Gazdag and Lappalainen have been each heading in the right direction because the Crew beat D.C. United 2-1 final week, a outcome that retains Nancy’s workforce 4 factors adrift of Jap Convention leaders FC Cincinnati.
Gazdag gained and scored a first-half penalty towards D.C., having didn’t web in his first 15 outings for Nancy’s workforce after becoming a member of as a chosen participant in April.
After Christian Benteke had levelled for the guests, Lappalainen got here off the bench to web the winner, having been hamstrung by accidents since his January transfer from CF Montreal.
Talking after that sport, Gazdag stated: “I felt from day one which this can be a superb, cohesive workforce.
“They welcomed me very properly from day one. I by no means felt something like I wouldn’t get the ball or one thing like that. I didn’t rating the objective due to myself.”
Requested what impact the pair’s maiden objectives may have, Nancy stated: “Daniel, we all know he needed to attain, and that is regular.
Daniel Delivered
After placing up a powerful efficiency and scoring a objective final night time, Daniel Gazdag has been named to the MLS Workforce of the Matchday Bench for Matchday 26. pic.twitter.com/OunC3XNpj8
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) July 20, 2025
“Lassi, it’s been troublesome for him the final three years. He may have scored a second objective, so it’s good for him.
“We all know that he has come far, so the concept is to present him confidence as a result of we all know that he’s capable of assist the workforce to be good.”
Oscar Pareja’s Orlando are two locations and 6 factors again of Columbus, having ended a four-match winless run by beating the New England Revolution 2-1 final Saturday.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Columbus Crew – Daniel Gazdag
Gazdag’s first objective for Columbus got here nearly 4 months after he final netted for the Philadelphia Union, on March 29.
It was his sixtieth profession regular-season objective since becoming a member of MLS in 2021, with solely Cristian Arango (64) and Hany Mukhtar (73) scoring extra in that point.
Orlando Metropolis – Martin Ojeda
Orlando’s Ojeda scored a brace versus the Revolution final trip, bringing his regular-season whole to 22 profession objectives.
He’s the fourth participant in Orlando historical past to file at the least 20 objectives and 20 assists for the membership, becoming a member of Nani, Kaka and Chris Mueller.
MATCH PREDICTION – COLUMBUS CREW WIN
The Crew have gained three consecutive conferences with Orlando throughout all competitions, relationship again to a 2-0 victory within the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2023.
Nevertheless, Orlando have gained eight of the final 13 conferences between the groups general (D1 L4). The Lions additionally picked up their tenth win of the 2025 season once they defeated New England final trip.
With that victory, Orlando joined the Seattle Sounders and Columbus as certainly one of three groups to register at the least 10 wins in every of the final six seasons.
However they could discover issues troublesome at Decrease.com Area, the place the Crew have gained 4 of their final 5 matches whereas scoring two or extra objectives in every victory.
Columbus (32) are certainly one of two groups (additionally the LA Galaxy – 30 video games) during the last three seasons with at the least 30 house video games scoring a number of objectives.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Columbus Crew – 53.6%
Orlando Metropolis – 22.6%
Draw – 23.8%
