Game 3 to decide 'Hell Is Real' playoff series between Crew, Cincy

A playoff series requires a short memory, leaving no time to dwell on a defeat or revel in a victory.

That's why the Columbus Crew will have a proverbial blank slate when they travel two hours down I-71 on Saturday to face FC Cincinnati in the decisive match of their first-round best-of-three series. The winner will advance to the semifinals against Inter Miami or Nashville SC.

No. 7 seed Columbus rebounded from a 1-0 loss in Cincinnati on Oct. 27 for a 4-0 home win on Sunday, aided by a red card to Cincinnati midfielder Yuya Kubo in the 38th minute.

"We were happy after the (second) game but you have to move on, because everyone will forget about this game, and everyone will be focused about Saturday," Crew defender Steven Moreira said. "We did the same when we lost over there last Monday, so we did a really good job."

FC Cincinnati defender Lukas Engel said all attention is on the next edition of the Hell Is Real derby.

"There's nothing worse in this world than sitting back after a game and thinking I could have done more," Engel said. "It's about being prepared to do whatever it takes and get the win."

No. 2 seed Cincinnati will be boosted by the return of defender Nick Hagglund, who was rested Sunday as a precaution due to an injury.

"He's on the field in Game 1, and we had a pretty strong performance and he was a part of that," his coach, Pat Noonan, said. "You could see not being on the field in Game 2, his presence was missed."

Max Arfsten opened the scoring for Columbus in Game 2 and the floodgates opened after Kubo's departure, with Dylan Chambost, Andres Herrera and Jacen Russell-Rowe building the lead to four before the 70th minute.

Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, defender Arfsten and midfielder Sean Zawadzki and FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano and defender Miles Robinson will go from rivals to teammates next week at the U.S. men's national team November camp.

"I think they are very intelligent guys and they know that they need to compete and try to fight for their club," U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Thursday. "But then when we arrive to the national team, we are all USA players."

--Field Level Media