The presence of Harrison Afful sprinting down the flanks to join the attack has become common for the Crew since joining the club in 2015.

David Accam has brought that same type of speed and a sharper attack in the midfield, and he has become a critical piece if the Crew is to make a turnaround with 17 games to go.

But Saturday against Orlando City, neither will be playing, meaning coach Caleb Porter will use his 14th lineup in 18 games.

Accam will be out for a couple of weeks because of a strained hamstring. Afful is suspended for one game because of a red card in the second half Sunday against Sporting Kansas City.

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The Crew will be without its two fastest players, which almost completely eliminates its ability to score on the counterattack in a game between teams fighting to get back in the playoff picture.

"When you don't get consistent lineups, then you don't get consistent performances,” Porter said. “Those connections, the chemistry, it's so important. … Every game it seems like there's at least one or two guys that are in and out.”

Accam hurt his right hamstring in the first half against Kansas City, then was subbed out in the 15th minute. Afful’s red card came 60 minutes later when he took down a player from behind on a goal-scoring opportunity.

It was Afful’s first game in Major League Soccer play since March 30, when he suffered a broken jaw. He played in two U.S. Open Cup games before the loss to Kansas City. Accam scored in both U.S. Open Cup games and created both goals June 1 against New York City FC in an MLS game.

Having both in the lineup, often on opposite sides, gave the Crew several options when trying to unlock a defense after gaining possession in the attacking half of the field. Now, Hector Jimenez will likely be at right back, and Robinho and Luis Argudo will start on the wings with just 18 starts combined between the two.

"David's been fantastic,” forward Patrick Mullins said. “He's put the goals in the last couple games here, and obviously, that's invaluable. Besides that, I think he makes defenders worried. He puts them off balance.”

Last season, the Crew used more than 14 lineups, but former coach Gregg Berhalter rotated the lineup more than having to replace players out of necessity. The 2018 team had a few injuries to deal with, though not to this season’s scale of losing two players for the season that began the year as designated players, along with two other full backs, a center back and a goalkeeper for more than one game.

Orlando City is a point ahead of the Crew in the standings, having played 15 games to Columbus' 17. The Crew knows it has to start finding results immediately to make a playoff run, even if it has to come without two more top players.

“I've told you every week and I think it's rang true, we'll be right there,” Porter said. “We'll start the game well and we'll execute well and we'll get in positions to score, we just have to score."

jmyers@dispatch.com

@Jacob_Myers_25