Playoff hopes for Columbus Crew, Charlotte FC on the line tonight - Axios ColumbusLog InLog InAxios Columbus is an Axios company.

Crew' s playoff hopes on the line

Charlotte FC vs. Columbus on July 30 at Bank of America Stadium. The match was postponed due to inclement weather. Photo: David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images There will be drama at Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina Wednesday night. What's happening: It's a battle between an expansion side and a storied club as Charlotte FC hosts the Crew at 7pm in each team's penultimate regular season MLS match. Why it matters: The playoffs are — as well as coach Caleb Porter's house, if he follows through with .Pressure is mounting for the Crew, who won the MLS Cup in 2020 but failed to qualify for the playoffs last season with a disappointing ninth-place finish.A win on Wednesday won't clinch a spot for either side, but it will keep them alive on Decision Day (the final day of the regular season) How it works: MLS postseason play includes the top seven teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences. Both teams currently in the East. By the numbers: Columbus is eighth with a record of 10-7-15 and 45 points. Charlotte's directly below them in ninth with 41 points at 13-17-2.A win is worth three points. A tie is worth one.Columbus has been playing the long game, with more draws than any other MLS team. Yes, but: Claiming all six points in their last two matches would secure Columbus a playoff spot. Charlotte needs to claim all six points plus have another team lose, particularly seventh-place Inter Miami, which plays Wednesday and Sunday. The intrigue: Wednesday's match — postponed from July due to a thunderstorm — will pick back up in the 16th minute. MLS policy dictates both teams have the same players on the field and the same subs for both matches.Injured or unavailable players can only be replaced by a substitute on July's official game roster. Goalkeepers are the exception.Crew forward Cucho Hernandez, who was suspended from for using offensive language, will be back in action. Flashback: Columbus hosted Charlotte in June. It ended in a one-all draw. The two sides also met in February during a preseason tournament in Charleston, which ended 0-0. The bottom line: Wednesday night is a must-win for both sides. Editor's note: This story was corrected to note that the Crew could clinch a playoff spot by winning their last two matches. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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