The San Jose Earthquakes will visit Audi Field in the US capital for the first time since 2019 as they resume their MLS campaign against DC United on Saturday.
Both sides are clinging to playoff spots in their respective conferences, with DC moving a point above that line in the East thanks to a 4-0 victory over the Chicago Fire, while the Goonies had to settle for a 1-1 draw versus Minnesota United, as they sit three points above the postseason line out West.
Match preview
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DC ended a four-match winless run in this competition with an emphatic victory to kick off the month of September, their largest triumph in the regular season since July 2021 (7-1 over Toronto).
Last Saturday was the fifth time in the regular season that DC had scored three or more goals at Audi Field, while they also posted their fourth clean sheet at home this year.
That has completely changed their outlook down the stretch of the season as the Black and Red are now in control of their playoff destiny, while they will play four of their final seven fixtures in DC.
If they can maintain their slender playoff lead, this team would qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2019, when current manager Wayne Rooney was leading their front lines, scoring 11 goals to go along with nine assists in his final MLS regular season as a player.
The record goalscorer for England and Man United has implemented a direct approach since taking charge of this team a year ago, traditionally employing a flat midfield three with a lone striker, a system which has allowed them to create many more scoring opportunities, with DC notching 37 goals domestically thus far, one more than they had at the end of the previous regular season.
They have already improved by six points from a season ago when the Black and Red finished dead-last in the MLS table with 27 points, and if DC can win six of their final seven regular-season fixtures, they would exceed the 50-point plateau for the first time since 2018 (51).
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Heading down the stretch of the regular season, the Quakes are still in a playoff position, but their lack of experience in these situations is beginning to show.
San Jose have rarely been in the playoff hunt this late into the regular season, finishing no better than 10th in the Western Conference in each of the previous two campaigns, but the Quakes have already claimed 36 points in 2023, one more than they had a year ago.
The traditional 4-2-3-1 formation implemented by manager Luchi Gonzalez may not be producing as many goals as we saw in 2022, with San Jose notching 32 in MLS this year, 20 fewer than they had at the end of last season.
On the other hand, that approach has given this team more stability defensively, with the Goonies only conceding 36 goals thus far, 33 fewer than they had given up by the end of the previous campaign.
Two victories away from home is not something worth bragging about, but it is one more than this team managed last season.
In 2023, the Quakes have let 11 points slip away when leading in the secon -half, while they have conceded six goals away from home in the 90th minute or later.
They have not won a match at Audi Field since 2015 (2-0), scoring just once in their previous two visits there in league play.
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Team News
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Tyler Miller could have to sit out of another encounter for the Black and Red because of an issue with his abdomen, Mohanad Jeahze is doubtful because of a sore leg and Martin Rodriguez remains sidelined due to a knee injury.
Rooney will be missing Andy Najar for this encounter as he was called up to the Honduran national team ahead of their CONCACAF Nations League campaign, while Jose Fajardo and Eric Davis will be representing Panama in that same competition.
Christian Benteke had a brace against Chicago, putting him up to 10 goals for the season, Ted Ku-DiPietro notched his fifth of 2023, with Carlos Teran scoring an own goal, while Alex Bono only had to make two stops for his fifth clean sheet across all competitions.
Jack Skahan will be doubtful for the Quakes this weekend because of a lower body injury, Judson is likely a couple of weeks away from a return after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, while Nathan is out indefinitely with a right ACL injury.
Paul Marie is eligible to return from his suspension, Carlos Gruezo was named to the Ecuador squad for the international window and will have to serve a one-match ban when he returns following his yellow card last weekend, while Miguel Trauco is representing Peru at the moment and Cade Cowell has been called up to the US national team.
Cowell had their equalising goal when they drew Minnesota United to begin the month of September, with Jackson Yueill picking up his fourth assist of the year on that play in his 171st appearance for the club, putting him in a tie for fifth all-time in Quakes history alongside Joe Cannon.
DC United possible starting lineup:
Bono; Ruan, Birnbaum, Williams, Santos; Canouse, Klich; Dajome, Pirani, Ku-DiPietro; Benteke
San Jose Earthquakes possible starting lineup:
Daniel; Akapo, Rodrigues, Beason, Thompson; Tsakiris, Yueill; Espinoza, Monteiro, Kikanovic; Ebobisse
We say: DC United 3-1 San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose have not won an MLS away match against the Eastern Conference since 2019 (2-1 versus Toronto), and their lack of quality on the road has held them back in 2023.
DC, meanwhile, are at their most dangerous when playing in front of their home fans, and an in-form Benteke could be enough to keep them above the playoff line for another week.
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Top tip
Joel Lefevre
