With the Supporters’ Shield landing just out of their reach, FC Cincinnati turns the page and walks the treacherous path to the MLS Cup. The first obstacle is, unfortunately, one they have had trouble climbing.

The “Hell Is Real” Derby again takes place in the postseason, but this one requires two wins to advance. The Orange & Blue take on Columbus Crew in the first round, the first matchup taking place at home on Monday. Columbus had the upper hand at TQL Stadium this season, but that was over three months ago. Both teams have made it to the playoffs, but while Cincinnati has managed to stay above water, the Crew have been decimated by the injury bug that hit FCC hard last year.

We ask Ty Fisher from Massive Report about the hardships the Crew have endured, but also about what could work against Cincinnati. Will Diego Rossi’s return be enough of a spark to supercharge the offense? Has Daniel Gazdag been a bust, or is his just lying in wait? Who takes this best-of-three series in the end (and will Geoff stop predicting disasters)?

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