The Columbus Crew will attempt to become just the fourth MLS team to win the Concacaf Champions Cup when they square off against Pachuca of Liga MX in the single-leg final on Saturday at Estadio Hidalgo in Pachuca, Mexico. Only D.C. United (1998), the LA Galaxy (2000) and Seattle Sounders (2022) have won the Champions Cup since the inaugural competition in 1962 though MLS did not play its first season until 1996. An MLS team also has finished as the runner-up four times.
Kickoff is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. ET. Pachuca are the -165 favorites (risk $165 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in the latest Columbus vs. Pachuca odds, with the Crew the +420 underdogs. A 90-minute draw is priced at +305. The over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Pachuca are the -300 favorites to lift the trophy, while Columbus are +225. Before making any Columbus vs. Pachuca picks or Concacaf Champions Cup predictions, you must see what proven SportsLine soccer expert Jon "Buckets" Eimer has to say.
Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, he has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. In 2023 he was red-hot, going 248-234-12 for a profit of $2,593 for $100 bettors.
Now, Eimer has broken down Columbus vs. Pachuca from every angle and identified his picks and Concacaf Champions Cup predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Eimer's picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Pachuca vs. Columbus:
- Columbus vs. Pachuca 90-minute money line: Columbus +420, Pachuca -165, Draw +305
- Columbus vs. Pachuca over/under: 2.5 goals
- Columbus vs. Pachuca spread: Columbus +0.5 (+122), Pachuca -0.5 (-155)
- COL: Crew leads MLS in goals conceded (13)
- PAC: Salomon Rondon leads Champions Cup with seven goals
- Columbus vs. Pachuca: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Columbus
The Crew already have had success in the competition winning in Mexico. In the quarterfinal against Tigres UANL, Columbus played the second leg on the road and, after a 1-1 draw, prevailed 4-3 on penalty kicks to advance. And then in the semifinal, the Crew blew out Monterrey, 3-1, in the second leg on the road to prevail 5-2 on aggregate.
In addition, Columbus will face a Pachuca team that is vulnerable defensively. In the most recent Liga MX season, Pachuca allowed 27 goals in 17 games. Just seven teams (there are 18 clubs in the league) conceded more, and six of those were the worst six teams in Liga MX. By contrast, the Crew have allowed just 13 goals so far this season, the fewest in the MLS. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Pachuca
Salomon Rondon is a proven goal scorer on the international level. The 34-year-old forward from Venezuela leads the Golden Boot competition with seven goals and spearheads an attack that also features Oussama Idrissi and Erick Sanchez. Earlier in his career, Rondon scored 36 Premier League goals in 167 appearances.
In addition, Pachuca are no strangers to the Concacaf Champions Cup final. The club has won the competition five times and have never lost in the final. With a win on Saturday, Pachuca would tie Cruz Azul for the second most Champions Cup titles ever, only one behind Club America. See which team to pick here.
How to make Pachuca vs. Columbus picks
Eimer has broken down Columbus vs. Pachuca from every possible angle. He is leaning Over 2.5 goals, and he has three confident best bets, including two with a plus-money payout, and a full breakdown of this match. He's sharing his Concacaf Champions Cup final picks and analysis only at SportsLine.
So who wins Pachuca vs. Columbus on Saturday, and where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see which wagers in Columbus vs. Pachuca have all the value, all from the soccer expert who was red-hot in 2023, and find out.
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