DC United are set to host FC Cincinnati at Audi Field on Wednesday in an Eastern Conference MLS clash that could be pivotal for the away side's Supporters Shield ambitions.
The home side are 13th in their conference with 20 points, while the visitors are second with 42, just two from Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference and the overall Supporters Shield table.
Match preview
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The hosts will naturally be disappointed with their campaign so far considering that after 21 games they are third last in their conference and are on track to accumulate roughly 32 points.
Last season, DC United finished 12th with a points total of 40, and while this was not a good return, the fact they have regressed will be of serious concern to manager Troy Lesesne.
Having said that, Lesesne will at least be relieved that his side are just four points from ninth-placed Atlanta United, who occupy the conference's final MLS Cup playoff spot.
However, given that DC United have lost six of their last nine MLS matches and have failed to win any in that period, it would be a surprise to see them close this gap over their remaining 13 games.
The Eagles' home MLS form is also poor, and they have failed to win any of their last six matches at Audi Field, including a 4-1 loss last time out against Houston Dynamo on June 23.
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To add to this, DC United have conceded 39 times, and this is the division's second-worst defensive record.
It should be noted that Lesesne has only been in charge since January and inherited a difficult situation from previous manager Wayne Rooney, who parted with the club at the end of the 2023 campaign after United failed to qualify for the playoffs for a second straight season.
Meanwhile, opponent manager Pat Noonan will be significantly happier with his side's campaign so far given they are currently second in the Eastern Conference and are just two points behind Lionel Messi's Inter Miami with a game in hand.
Noonan has been in charge since November 2021 and guided the club to their first ever trophy in MLS, winning the 2023 Supporters Shield before losing the MLS Cup final against Columbus Crew.
Under his leadership this season, the Orange and Blue are currently averaging 2.1 points per game, and this is not only more than their Supporters Shield winning campaign but is also their highest ever figure since their debut season in MLS in 2019.
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It should be noted, however, that having scored 33 goals and conceded 23, they are not yet on track to beat the offensive and defensive records they achieved last season.
As for their form, despite losing two of their last five matches, Cincinnati come into the game with plenty of momentum, having won 10 of their last 12 MLS fixtures including most recently against FC Dallas on Sunday.
Additionally, their away form is particularly impressive considering they have won their last six MLS matches on the road and 11 of their previous 13.
One interesting thing to note is that all but three of Cincinnati's 20 MLS matches this campaign were decided by a single goal or ended in a draw.
Team News
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The hosts will be without centre-back Steve Birnbaum until late July as a result of a knee injury, while fellow defenders Garrison Tubbs and Conner Antley are expected to be back in the middle of this month.
Midfielder Jackson Hopkins is also out until mid-July due to a back injury.
Winger Kristian Fletcher will not be available for United until at least late July after he injured his ankle.
Forward Cristian Dajome was also sent off last time out against New York Red Bulls and is set to miss out on Thursday.
Midfielder Russell Canouse has not appeared since October 8, 2023, and it was reported by his club that he underwent colectomy surgery and may not appear again until the autumn months.
As for the visitors, centre-back Miles Robinson is with the USA national team at Copa America.
Elsewhere, fellow centre-back Matt Miazga is out due to a leg injury until mid-July, while Nick Hagglund will also be unavailable because of a leg injury.
Malik Pinto is absent for Cincinnati as he is currently sidelined with an ankle issue, while forward Corey Baird has not played since May 12 and is out with a hip injury.
DC United possible starting lineup:
Miller; Herrera, Bartlett, Peltola, Santos; Pirani, Garay, Klich; Stroud, Murrell, Ku-DiPietro
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentano; Keller, Murphy, Yedlin; Orellano, Kubo, Bucha, Asad; Acosta; Kelsy, Valenzuela
We say: DC United 0-2 FC Cincinnati
Cincinnati's excellent away form should see them come into the Thursday's clash as strong favourites.
Additionally, DC United have struggled at home in recent matches, and their overall form suggests that they may find it difficult to achieve a positive outcome against high-flying Cincinnati.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
