Orlando City-Columbus preview

Teams thirsting for goals and wins could get their star midfielders back from injury when Orlando City SC plays a road game against the Columbus Crew SC on Saturday.

Kaka returns for Orlando City (4-5-10) after missing three games with a calf injury. The Lions had a tie and two losses and scored twice in his absence. The Brazilian World Cup player has missed 10 games this season but has three goals and five assists in nine starts.

As much as he is a catalyst for Orlando, Federico Higuain orchestrates the Crew (3-7-9) attack with three goals and three assists in 13 matches.

The Crew is 0-3-4 in the past seven games, with all but the first coming since Higuain underwent sports hernia surgery on June 15. Columbus scored six times without him.

"I'm not ruling him out," Crew coach Gregg Berhalter said. "He's at a good stage right now. If he's in the 18 (game-day roster) that means he could potentially start. We have to evaluate that."

Columbus, with one win in 12 games (1-4-7), will have defender Harrison Afful available after his red card vs. D.C. United last week was rescinded.

Orlando is struggling as well with two wins in the past 15 matches. The skid cost longtime coach Adrian Heath his job, and Jason Kreis was named coach on Tuesday. Assistant coaches Bobby Murphy and Anthony Pulis will guide the team Saturday before Kreis takes over next week.

"There are pieces here that are incredibly exciting to build around," Kreis said Wednesday during a press conference. "There are some leaders in this group that should be the backbone of this club."