Atlanta United – Columbus Crew

It's early in the MLS season, but some games are already starting to have a little "must-do" feel to them. Atlanta United vs. Columbus Crew is one of them. Two teams still finding their rhythm, two teams with quality offensively and perhaps most importantly: two teams giving up enough chances that this could quickly become entertaining.

Atlanta United – High top level, low control

Atlanta has been a bit like a classic MLS stock so far this year: high risk, high entertainment value. They can look brilliant when they're flowing, as in the 3-1 win over Philadelphia, but also pretty toothless when they're pounding, as in the 0-0 draw against DC United where they had all the ball but created almost nothing.

What's interesting here, though, is that Atlanta will play the games on their own terms. They want to have the ball, control the tempo and push the opponent back. The problem is that it often opens up space the other way as well and that's exactly where this game gets exciting.

With players like Almirón, Miranchuk and Latte Lath, they have more than enough quality to score goals. But they also give away chances, and we have seen that several times already this season.

Columbus Crew – Chaos, change and open battles

Columbus is still winless, but this is not a team I'm writing off for that reason. On the contrary, this is a team in transition.

New coach, new relationships and a team that still hasn't fully established its structure. It's reflected in the results, but also in the match pictures. They concede goals, but they also create enough to be dangerous in most matches.

An important detail here is that Columbus' games tend to open up, especially on the road. Over 2.5 goals have been scored in 5 of their last 6 away games, and when they face an Atlanta team that isn't exactly parking the bus, it's hard to imagine a closed affair.

The match picture – This smells like MLS chaos

This feels like a match where both teams really want the same thing: to have the ball, attack and make their mark on the match.

And that's precisely why it often gets a little chaotic.

Atlanta will press at home, Columbus will exploit the spaces that arise – and we are left with a match picture that quickly turns into a kind of MLS classic where things happen at both ends.

History also supports it: 5 of the last 6 meetings have gone over 2.5 goals

Conclusion – A match you don't play during

We have:

• Two unstable teams
• Two teams with offensive quality
• Two teams missing chances
• Clear target trends

This is not the game you bet on and hope for 1-0.

This is the match where you rather sit and wait for it to open up, because it usually does.

Bet suggestions

MLS At 01:30 Atalanta United - Columbus Crew: Over 2.5 goals (1.75)

Alternative game:

MLS 01:30 Atalanta United – Columbus Crew: Over 2.5 goals + BTS (1.98)

Goalscorer game:

MLS 01:30 Atalanta United – Columbus Crew: Rossi scores anytime (2.40)