The Columbus Crew enter the resumption of the MLS regular season atop the league standings.
The Crew look to remain undefeated when they get back to action on Thursday night against the visiting Chicago Fire.
Columbus (4-0-1) did not win the recent MLS is Back Tournament after falling in a shootout to Minnesota United FC in the round of 16. However, it should still feel confident when the regular season picks up this week as the Crew's 13 points are one better than Western Conference-leading Sporting Kansas City.
They've also outscored their opponents 9-1 in matches that have counted this season. Gyasi Zardes and Lucas Zelarayan have combined to record seven of the nine goals for Columbus, which should collectively feel good about the state of the club during this unique campaign.
"We're a good group, we're a tight group," coach Caleb Porter told the Crew's official website. "We've got great chemistry. We're mentally tough."
As the Crew look to maintain their strong play, they'll do so Thursday in front of an empty stadium due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. While some teams around MLS are, and will be able to, have supporters in the stands, Columbus will not be one of them for the time being.
"As we move forward, we will continue to prioritize their health and safety while we navigate the challenges of the current pandemic," Columbus president and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said. "As things develop, we will continue to work with MLS, as well as our local government and health authorities to determine whether we will be able to host fans."
While Columbus would obviously like to have its faithful in the seats, the focus will be on extending an unbeaten stretch over Chicago to five games. The last three meetings, however, have finished in a draw.
The Fire (1-3-1), amid an 0-6-3 stretch at Columbus, return to the pitch following a rather disappointing stay in Florida. Chicago appeared to be in good shape after opening the event with an impressive 2-1 win over Seattle. However, the Fire followed with matching 2-0 losses to San Jose and a short-handed Vancouver side, keeping them from advancing to the knockout round.
In the mind of first-year coach Raphael Wicky, though, Chicago's struggles in the tournament came down to missed opportunities and self-inflicted wounds. The club still has plenty of belief to start anew this week, even against a quality opponent.
"We know that on a good day, on our day when we are all performing well, we can beat everyone," Wicky told the Fire's official website. "I'm 100 percent sure of that."
Robert Beric has scored two of Chicago's four goals this season. Bobby Shuttleworth, meanwhile, is slated to man the Fire net on Thursday after No. 1 keeper Kenneth Kronholm recently underwent surgery to fix a torn ACL.