Columbus Vs New York City: 12-point clash at Yankee Stadium

Columbus vs New York City lands at Yankee Stadium on Sunday with both clubs sitting on 12 points. New York City FC enter the match on a seven-game MLS winless run, while Columbus trail only by goal difference.

Yankee Stadium and 12 points

Kickoff is set for 4:30pm ET in New York City. The matchup has a simple surface and a sharper edge underneath: New York City FC and Columbus Crew are tied on points, but Columbus sit one goal behind in the table.

For NYCFC, that tie comes while the attack has been uneven. Nicolás Fernández has eight goals and Maxi Moralez has six assists, but the team has been shut out in its last two league matches and has won only in the U.S. Open Cup during the seven-game league skid.

NYCFC’s stalled stretch

The home side’s most recent league result was a 2-0 loss to DC United at home, a game in which they had 73% possession and still came away without a goal. They also beat Red Bull in the Hudson River Derby during this stretch, but that has not broken the league slide.

That is the pressure point for Sunday. NYCFC have spent long spells with the ball and still have not turned it into consistent league points, which makes the matchup with a direct Eastern Conference rival a cleaner test than a normal midseason fixture.

Rydström’s Columbus response

Columbus arrive with a different recent shape. They lost 3-2 to Minnesota United last weekend, but three of their five league matches before that were wins, and the group has adjusted to the absence of striker Wessam Abou Ali.

Rossi, Gazdag, Habroune and Picard have shared the scoring load, and Max Arfsten has six goal contributions in his last six games. That spread matters because Columbus are no longer depending on one finish to stay attached to the playoff pack.

Henrik Rydström is leading a side that is beginning to find structure after a slow start to 2026. If Columbus can turn the goal-difference edge into an away result, they will leave Yankee Stadium level on points with NYCFC and better positioned in the East race.