DC United can maintain their playoff position in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS) with a victory over New York City FC on Saturday at Audi Field in the US capital.
Thanks to a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire last weekend, the Black and Red moved above Atlanta United for the final post-season berth in the East, while the Pigeons remain fifth following a 4-2 defeat to the Columbus Crew.
Match preview
A side that looked down and out two months ago have come to life, with DC winning four of their previous five regular-season contests.
Those four wins are as many as Troy Lesesne's side collected through the first 23 matchdays of the 2024 MLS season, and it has them in position to end a four-year playoff drought.
There is still work to do if they are to make the playoffs for the first time since 2019, and it starts with being sharper on the back end, with DC conceding the third-most goals in MLS this season (56).
Finding more consistency at home would go a long way to getting them into the post-season, too, with this group winning just one of their last eight MLS encounters at Audi Field.
In the 2024 regular season, the Black and Red have failed to win seven matches when scoring the opening goal, losing on four occasions and dropping 18 points.
This year, they are winless in their three regular-season matches versus New York-based club, claiming just one point over that stretch.
New York City missed another opportunity to make up ground in the race for home-field advantage in the opening round of the playoffs, extending their winless run to six matches in league play last Saturday.
During that slump, the Boys in Blue have drawn first blood on three occasions but failed to emerge victorious, accounting for eight points dropped.
Nick Cushing's men have been seemingly in control of many of their recent encounters but struggled to keep their composure in the latter stages, conceding four times in their last two league games with fewer than 15 minutes remaining, three of which were in stoppage time.
Despite all that, their position in the Eastern Conference is unchanged, though their hold on fifth is not as secure with Charlotte just a point behind them in sixth and Orlando City two back in seventh.
NYCFC entered June on a three-match domestic winning run away from home, but they come into this weekend on a seven-game MLS winless streak as the visitors, claiming just three points over that stretch.
The Pigeons have won two of their previous three meetings with DC in this competition but have only won one of their last four visits to Audi Field, 2-0 in May 2022.
Team News
Against Chicago, DC were missing Matai Akinmboni and Jackson Hopkins because of ankle issues, David Schnegg sat out with a calf strain and Conner Antley is likely done for the season after tearing his ACL.
Mateusz Klich will be suspended for this encounter due to yellow card accumulation, while Boris Enow, Aaron Herrera and Matti Peltola are all expected to be back after being on international duty.
Gabriel Pirani notched the winner for them last weekend, while Christian Benteke now leads the MLS Golden Boot standings, scoring his 18th of the 2024 campaign.
New York City goalkeeper Matt Freese was taken off because of an injury after just 12 minutes against the Crew, and James Sands had to leave late in the opening half with a concussion.
Andres Perea was sidelined in their previous encounter with a leg injury, Malachi Jones sat out due to a broken tibia and Julian Fernandez will have to miss this match after being red-carded in the latter stages versus Columbus.
Alonso Martinez has four goals in his last three competitive fixtures, as he and his replacement, Monsef Bakrar, found the back of the net in their previous match.
DC United possible starting lineup:
Bono; Dajome, McVey, Bartlett, Tubbs, Santos; Stroud, Rodriguez, Ku-DiPietro, Pirani; Benteke
New York City FC possible starting lineup:
Barraza; Gray, Martins, Risa, O'Toole; Haak, Parks; Wolf, Rodriguez, Ojeda; Martinez
We say: DC United 1-1 New York City FC
Desperation, combined with an in-form striker, can take you a long way, as DC are discovering, and for as much control as New York City have had in their matches this season, they seem a little too comfortable with their current position in the table, which may cost them more points this weekend.
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