COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Looking ahead to Saturday night, the Columbus Crew looks to face off against FC Cincinnati in the biggest home game of the season.

For their first of two regular season matchups, the Crew comes off of back-to-back ties that dropped them to third in the Eastern Conference behind their close neighbor, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia Union.

While the Crew has the home field advantage and talent, only losing 5 of its last forty-one home MLS matches, Cincinnati has proven its talent on the road and will not be so easily intimidated. Cincinnati has the most road wins of any team this season, with four, their most recent in Toronto this week.

Both teams will be sporting decorative jerseys for their “Hell is real” game theme. The theme is derived from a religious sign located on Interstate 71, the highway that connects the two major cities, and is now a symbol of the intense rivalry.

Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy highlighted the importance of this game.

“I cannot say that this is a normal game. Yesterday, three or four times when I was driving, people recognized me and they said to me hell is real. So this is the way it is.”

The game goes beyond the field and into the city itself, with fans being the focus of rivalry.

“This game isn’t just another game. It’s not just for the guys in the locker room or the table in the standings. It’s for the fans and the people outside around the city,” said Crew Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.

The teams are only separated by two points this season; Cincinnati has twenty-eight, with Columbus following with twenty-six. The teams can alter the course of their rivalry at Lower.com Field at 7:15 p.m.