Columbus Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte revealed their "end goal" for the 2026 season is to reach the MLS Cup final, rather than just the playoffs.

The Crew are yet to secure their place in the postseason, currently occupying the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.

However, Columbus have been in impressive form as of late, winning six of their last seven MLS games (L1) to climb off the bottom of the table and move up to 10th.

The Crew lost to St. Louis City in the US Open Cup final during this run, but they have bounced back with wins over Toronto FC and FC Dallas.

A home clash with D.C. United is up next for Columbus, and Schulte is not willing to just settle for a spot in the playoffs.

"We're a team that's kind of starting to get into form," the goalkeeper said.

"After we got a lot of new guys in the summer and had the adjustment period of learning the system, the chemistry between each other, those things, they take time.

"They don't just click overnight as much as we wish they did, and I think that we're starting to get there. 

"We still have a long way to go, and the playoffs and winning isn't the end goal. Playing on December 18 is the end goal.

"So, we still got a long way to go, but right now I feel like we're connecting well and we're playing well together."

Belief in this team and what's to come  Time to focus on the next one  https://t.co/58Zpir28Ol

— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) October 29, 2026

D.C. are out of playoff contention after losing 2-1 to Toronto on Wednesday, marking their fifth defeat in their last six MLS matches.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Columbus Crew – Santiago Rodriguez

In Columbus' 2-0 win over Dallas on Wednesday, Rodríguez tallied a goal and an assist, while also winning six fouls.

The only other MLS player this season to have a match where he has won six fouls, and had a goal and an assist, was Carles Gil against Philadelphia in May.

D.C. United – Andre Dozzell

Dozzell scored his first MLS goal on Wednesday in D.C. United’s loss at Toronto.

It was Dozzell’s second goal in a competitive match in 2026, as he scored a late equaliser for Portsmouth in a 2–2 draw against Oxford United in April.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

Columbus have won each of their last three home matches in MLS play, scoring multiple goals in all three wins.

The last time the Crew had a longer home regular-season win streak while scoring two or more goals in each game was a five-game streak in 2023 (May to July).

D.C., meanwhile, lost their fourth consecutive match last time out. It is United's sixth time losing four or more consecutive MLS matches over the last five seasons, with their only five-match losing streak in that time coming in July and August of last season.

However, D.C. snapped a nine-match winless run against Columbus (D3 L6) with a 2–1 home victory on September 9. United have not defeated the Crew twice in a single season since winning both matches in the 2019 season.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew – 63.3%

Draw – 19.5%

D.C. United – 17.2%