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New York City FC vs DC United Game Preview

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The Opponent: New York City FC (NYCFC) 2-2-4

Predicted Lineups: 

New York City FC

Potential Starters: Matt Freese, Birk Risa, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Mitja Ilenic, Santiago Rodriguez, Hannes Wolf, Keaton Parks, Monsef Bakrar, Kevin O’Toole, Agustin Ojeda

Expected Subs: Luis Barraza, Strahinja Tanasijevic, Andres Jasson, Tayvon Gray, Justin Haak, Andres Perea, Julian Fernandez, Alonso Martinez, Malachi Jones

Captain: Thiago Martins

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Injury Report:

Out

  • Maxi Morales
  • Talles Magno 
  • Rio Hope-Gund 

DC United

Potential Starters: Alex Bono, Lucas Bartlett, Christopher McVey, Matai Akinmboni, Jared Stroud, Matti Peltola, Jackson Hopkins, Gabriel Pirani, Cristian Dajome, Kristian Fletcher, Christian Benteke 

Expected Subs: Luis Zamudio, Mohanad Jeahze, Pedro Santos, Martín Rodríguez, Jacob Murrell 

Captain: Christian Benteke 

Formation: 3-5-2

Injury Report:

Out

  • Steven Birnbaum 
  • Russell Canouse 
  • Tyler Miller 
  • Garrison Tubbs 
  • Ted Ku-DiPietro

Questionable

  • Conner Antley

Yellow Card Accumulation 

  • Aaron Herrera 
  • Mateusz Klich

The Managers: 

New York City FC- Nick Cushing

The second year Head Coach of the Pigeons is still a bit of an enigma, and considered a prime candidate for being let go this season. Appointed as Head Coach in November 2022, Cushing has yet to truly endear himself to the fan base and is still looking to put his full stamp on the team. Brought on as an assistant by former head coach Ronny Deila in January 2020, Cushing was a part of the MLS Cup winning team, and saw the team at its best. Cushing became interim head coach on June 13, 2022 when Deila left for a job in Belgium. Since being made the permanent Head Coach it’s been a mixed bag in regards to results. This season he is attempting to kickstart a rebuild project that didn’t take hold last season.

Cushing’s coaching philosophy centers around a certain set of principles. The first is having his players focus on the team’s principles and concepts. He believes that success starts with a deep understanding of how NYCFC wants to play and win. He tends to adapt his in game strategies based on the squad he has available rather than who he’s playing. Rather than fixating solely on the opposition, he encourages his players to focus on their own game and execute their team’s style effectively. A style that looks to play attractive soccer. Cushing wants his team to control the game through quick accurate passing. He has tended to focus on the development of his young players through providing consistency in both training and matches.

This coaching philosophy has helped Cushing ensure that NYCFC remain competitive but hasn’t always led to victories, which is why he remains an enigma for fans of the Boys in Blue.

DC United – Troy Lesesne –

The DC United Head Coach is making a good name for himself within MLS. He’s brought a fresh perspective and a new tactical approach that aims to elevate the performance of the Black & Red. He favors an aggressive, high-pressing style of play. Lesesne has his players apply intense pressure on opponents, especially in the midfield and defensive thirds. By disrupting the opposition’s build-up play, he aims to regain possession quickly and create scoring opportunities.

A big part of what the new coach is doing is building a new culture within DC United. He is  prioritizing player development and well-being. He promotes the nurturing of a positive environment and believes in a building strong relationships throughout the club, which will lead to better performance on the field. His approach has been holistic, considering both physical and mental aspects of the game.

With over 20 years of coaching experience at various levels, Lesesne brings authenticity to his interactions. His journey from college coaching, through USL and to MLS has shaped his understanding of American soccer, and proven to him the value of hard work and perseverance. The DC United players have expressed their respect for his hard work and dedication, and seemed to have adopted his philosophies, which can only help lead to success for the team.

Game Preview: 

New York City FC (NYCFC) has shown glimpses of promise the last few games having struggled with inconsistency to start the season. They are aiming to build on their recent victory over New England to secure three points at home. On the other hand United had a disappointing home loss to Orlando City last week they need to bounce back from. Unfortunately United will be missing a number of key players. 

Two of United’s MVP candidates in Mateusz Klich and Aaron Herrera, will be unavailable due to yellow card accumulation. Their absence will make it difficult for the Black & Red. It will be a tough test for United, and a good chance to see how well Head Coach Troy Lesesne’s new team first culture has taken root.

Keys to the Match: 

How well can United’s bench step-up?

United Head Coach faces a challenging situation with a number of key players unavailable for their match against against NYCFC. Talented young attacking midfielder Ted Ku-DiPietro is still out with an injury. He is joined by Mateusz Klich and Aaron Herrera, who are both serving one-game suspensions due to yellow card accumulation. Their absence will undoubtedly impact the team’s performance, especially considering Klich’s midfield presence and Herrera’s defensive contributions. Then it became known that versatile defender Conor Antley might not be available for the game in New York.

This will all mean that Troy Lesesne will need to make some adjustments to the starting lineup. The absence of Klich might prompt Lesesne to rely on young midfielders Matti Peltola and Jackson Hopkins. These two haven’t played together much of late as they have rotated the defensive midfielder position between them. Now they will need to work together to make up for the absence of Klich.

The continued absence of Ted KDP with a hip injury will probably mean that Gabriel Pirani gets reinserted into the starting lineup. He played the second half against Orlando and was much more active, scoring once and being goal dangerous on two additional occasions. He has not yet really looked comfortable dribbling and taking on defenders, so it will be interesting to see if Lesesne tries to keep him higher up the pitch.

The absence of Herrera might be the hardest shoes to fill, especially with the injury to Conor Antley. With no other true Right Back, Lesesne may alter the team’s formation to adapt to the loss of Herrera. A shift to a 3-4-3 or a 3-5-2 might be necessary with Jared Stroud and Cristian Dajome playing Wingbacks.

It will be interesting to see if Head Coach Troy Lesesne utilizes the services of under utilized Mohanad Jeahze and Martín Rodríguez in this game. Jeahze starting could push Dajome up the pitch and allow Fletcher to come off the bench. Martín Rodríguez could start instead of either Fletcher or Pirani, allowing either of those players to come off the bench. Or both Jeahze and Rodríguez could be subs who help change the game in the second half.

Can DC United’s Defense Keep City Down?

NYCFC is playing better than they did in the early games of the season, but scoring is still been a problem for the team. NYCFC have logged just two goals in three games, and one of those was an own goal that was deflected into the net by an Inter Miami defender. DC, on the other hand, has given up five goals in three games. The defense for the Black & Red has been better this season, but are coming off a home loss where they yielded 3 goals. Head Coach Troy Lesesne says the team has to maintain its focus throughout the game, so DC United stop surrendering points. If the Black & Red do better at remaining focused and organized in the waning moments of a match, they will do better at protecting their leads and get wins over draws.  

Can DC Handle NYCFC’s Press? 

The Pigeons have at times used a highly effective press to initiate their attack. They pressed high up the pitch and used the narrow dimensions of their formation to force New England into turnovers. With young midfielders Matti Peltola and Jackson Hopkins most likely starting, the Black & Red could be vulnerable to a press. Both players have had moments of brilliance this season but they also have not always handled pressure well. Both need to be quicker to the ball, and quicker in their decision-making.

In truth Peltola and Hopkins have shown the ability to control the ball, and to move it forward into the attack. They need to play with confidence and hustle. A good showing in the Big Apple could go a long way in building the confidence of these young players.

Things to Watch: 

Offense – DC United may not try to build out of the back as they have in past games. With New York probably pressing and the absence of Klich in the midfield the Black & Red are more likely to rely more on direct passing than has been the norm of late. Christen Benteke’s ability to win the aireal  ball and hold up play will be a key to breaking down the Pigeon’s press. Wingers like Jared Stroud and Cristian Dajome will look to stretch the NYCFC defense, and pickup quick flicks from the Belgian Striker. In turn their movements should allow Benteke and Pirani to find gaps to attack New York’s penalty box. This is a game where Kristen Fletcher could be useful in making runs behind the defense. He got the start versus Orlando, and played the first half, but didn’t look fully comfortable. More playing time might be necessary for him to be more confident in his ability. When he gets that confidence he will be truly dangerous in the offense.

Through the first quarter of the season DC has multiple goal scorers, and has been one of the leaders in XG. This is good that the Black & Red has multiple players capable of putting the ball on target, but if it’s to win more consistently than United has to take better advantage of this and find consistency in scoring. 

Christian Benteke has shown he can put himself in dangerous positions and score, with six goals on the season. To be successful in New York the team will need to find ways to continue to get him the ball. As Benteke makes himself a goal threat, his teammates have to take advantage of chances that will present themselves. If DC United can create scoring opportunities, they have a chance to get their first road win.

Defense – The good news is that United won’t have to deal with playing at Yankee Stadium as this match has been scheduled for Citi Field. DC has never won in Yankee Stadium, so playing someplace else is already a plus.

With so many players missing, expect DC to start with a three player back line. If Conor Antley can’t go, expect Matai Akinmboni to get the start. The young player has shown well in the past, and has the athleticism to be a dominant defender. To help Akinmboni, Head Coach Lesesne will likely have the Black & Red focus on maintaining a compact defensive shape, especially when NYCFC presses high. With United players staying close together, they will reduce passing lanes and make it difficult for the Pigeons to penetrate centrally.

United have shown a good ability to tie up the middle of the field, but that was with Klich. Midfielders Matti Peltola and Jackson Hopkins might drop deeper than usual to provide better cover for the back line and to be passing options for the Center Backs and help transition the ball forward.

Expect United to play direct, and keep the ball in New York’s half as much as possible. look for vertical progression through the lines. Instead of playing laterally, the Black & Red will aim to break lines with forward passes. Then if they turn over the ball, United players will press higher up the field, so they can disrupt the New York’s build-up and force turnovers closer to their goal.

James Sands returned to NYCFC last season, and helped to solidify the defensive midfield, and give cover to their back line, but he has shown he can be rattled if put under pressure. Would expect Lesesne to have the team moving without the ball to force Sands and Keaton Parks to follow and move out of position.

The defensive line and midfielders will need to step forward collectively, putting pressure on the ball carrier and limiting passing options. United will need to be better organized though, as the third goal surrendered to Orlando was due to the press being out of synch, and too much space left behind the back line.

By the Numbers:

New York City FC

NYCFC offense ranks 27th in MLS with 7 goals, 0.9 per match.

NYCFC has allowed 9 goals, for 9th in MLS

NYCFC with a negative 2 goal differential rank 20th.

NYCFC’s Santiago Rodriguez has scored 3 goals this season. 

Julian Fernandez has 1 goal and 1 assist.

Axel Ojeda has scored 1 goal.

Thiago Martins Bueno has zero goals, but has 1 assist.

 

DC United

DC United has scored 12 goals in 8 matches this season for 9th in MLS.

DC United sits 16th in MLS with 12 goals conceded, 1.5 per match.

DC United has an even goal differential, to rank 18th in MLS.

DC United’s Christian Benteke has 6 goals and 2 assists 

Jared Stroud has 1 goal and 1 assist.

Gabriel Pirani has 1 goal and 1 assist.

Predictions:

Richard –  2 – 0 Loss.  Both teams have found scoring to be problematic at times. United having squandered good opportunities in the past 3 games will find it hard to break through with so many players missing. NYCFC doesn’t invite open and free play and DC will get their first road loss.

Coverage: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass

Pregame 7:15p 

Kick-off 7:35

Listen on…

📻: 1190am, 101.1HD2, 104.7fm

💻: iHeartSportsDC

🔊: Any Smart Speaker 

📱: @iHeartRadio App

Written by: RJ Rolsen 

DC United vs Orlando City SC Game Preview

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The Opponent: Orlando City SC (1-2-3)

Predicted Lineups: 

DC United 

Projected Starters: Alex Bono, Aaron Herrera, Lucas Bartlett, Christopher McVey, Pedro Santos, Cristian Dajome, Jared Stroud, Matti Peltola, Mateusz Klich, Gabriel Pirani, Christian Benteke

Projected Subs: Luis Zamudio, Matai Akinmboni, Martín Rodríguez, Jackson Hopkins, Pedro Santos, Kristian Fletcher, Jacob Murrell 

Captain: Christian Benteke

Formation: 4-1-2-3

Injury Report:

Out

  • Steven Birnbaum
  • Russell Canouse
  • Tyler Miller 
  • Ted Ku-DiPietro,

Questionable

  • Mohanad Jeahze
  • Garrison Tubbs 

Orlando City SC 

Projected Starters: Pedro Gallese, Iván Angulo, Antonio Carlos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Gastón González, Cesar Araújo, Mauricio Pereyra, Facundo Torres, Martín Ojeda, Duncan McGuire

Projected Subs: Mason Stajduhar, Wilder Cartagena, Felipe Martins, Ercan Kara, Abdi Salim, Kyle Smith, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson

Captain: Mauricio Pereyra

Formation: 4-4-2

Injury Report:

Out

  • Ramiro Enrique

The Managers: 

DC United – Troy Lesesne: 

The 40-year-old American Head Coach has stepped into his role with DC United, truly making the position his in a relatively short period of time. The United position is his first permanent position as an MLS head coach. His journey includes prior managerial experience with New Mexico United in the USL Championship, where he honed his coaching skills over three years. Lesesne then transitioned to the MLS, serving as an assistant manager with the New York Red Bulls before taking on the interim head coach role during most of the previous season after parting ways with Gerhard Struber.

Lesesne’s tactical approach and player-centric management style have swiftly resonated with DC United players and fans. His coaching philosophy is predicated on two key factors: strategic use of high-pressing intensity and quick turnovers leading to attacking intent.

Lesesne’s hallmark is a strategically applied high-pressing game. Drawing inspiration from the Red Bull philosophy, but not replicating it fully, he encourages his players to apply pressure on opponents at opportune times. DC United currently leads MLS in challenge intensity and passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA). Their pressing actions are concentrated in a narrow 4-1-3-2 shape, aiming to overload the midfield or force wide passes from the center-backs to the full-backs.

Lesesne also encourages his side to focus on regaining possession swiftly and launching attacks within seconds of losing the ball. Their 72 high regains this season have led to 31 dangerous recoveries, resulting in rapid shots after winning the ball. The goal is to play forward, create scoring opportunities, and keep the opposition on their toes. 

The first seven games should have DC United fans anticipating an exciting era of fun soccer, fueled by pressing intensity and attacking flair under Troy Lesene.

Orlando City SC – Oscar Pareja

In his fifth season as Head Coach of Orlando City, Óscar Pareja has brought a great deal of success to the Lion’s of Orlando. Since his hiring in December of 2019, Orlando City have finished no lower than seventh in the Eastern Conference, and have participated in the playoffs for four straight seasons. They have also enjoyed some tournament successes with a second-place finish in the MLS Is Back Tournament and winning the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title.

Pareja’s success is based on a solid tactical approach. He’s known for meticulously designing game plans that suit his team’s strengths. He has also shown the ability to adapt during matches and the awareness to make strategic substitutions in crucial moments. Pareja also has an uncanny knack for identifying his player’s individual potential. His approach often maximizes the performance of his players within the team’s system, resulting in consistent success on the field. This is why, despite Orlando’s disappointing start to the season, people expect it to be near the top of the table at the end of the season.

Preview

It’s Cherry Blossom Night at Audi Field as the Black & Red take on Orlando City SC in a key Eastern Conference matchup. 

The Black & Red are riding a two-game unbeaten streak. They secured a home victory against CF Montreal on March 30 and played the 2023 MLS Cup Champions to a 1-1 draw in Columbus last weekend. In both matches, DC United controlled the game with their defensive intensity. Head Coach Lesesne’s new high-octane pressing style has made the Black & Red to be a team to take seriously. Expect a team to be eager to extend their unbeaten run in front of the home crowd.

On the side Orlando City SC have struggled on the road, losing their last three away matches and conceding a whopping 11 goals in the process. Their potent attack from 2023 has sputtered, and the backline has started to leak goals at an unusual rate.

If United can play like they did in the season opener, it should be a victory for the home team.

Keys to the Match: 

Who steps up for Ted Ku-DiPietro? 

With Ted Ku-DiPietro sidelined due to an hip injury, DC United will need another player to step up in his absence. Ku-DiPietro, who has displayed glimpses of taking it to another level, has unfortunately been in and out of the starting eleven this season due to injuries. His unique ability to break lines with the ball at his feet and cover a lot of ground in the midfield has been valuable for the Black & Red. However, with him unavailable, the team will have to rely on other options.

One potential candidate to fill Ku-DiPietro’s shoes should be Gabriel Pirani, the young Brazilian midfielder has versatility and dynamic playing style that should provide United with the necessary creativity to help the attack. Unfortunately Pirani has often been invisible on the field for long moments of games.

A second option would be keeping Jackson Hopkins in the starting lineup while returning Matti Peltola. Last week Hopkins started at the six and Peltola came off the bench. Returning Peltola to the six would allow Hopkins to move to his more natural eight position. This would mean United would play with two eights, allowing Mateusz Klich more freedom going forward.

Additionally, an outside option would be Martín Rodríguez, who might get an opportunity to showcase his skills and contribute to the team’s performance.

While Ku-DiPietro’s absence is a setback, it also presents a chance for other United players to prove their worth and make a difference on the field. DC United will need a collective effort from the entire team to overcome this challenge and secure a positive result against Orlando City SC.

Can DC United keep Orlando City down? The Black and Red will look to keep the form they showed in Columbus. That performance has continued to have the Black & Red be one of the surprising teams in the early MLS season. On the other hand the 2024 season has been a disappointing one for Orlando City. After a remarkable 2023 campaign that saw the Lions finish second in the overall standings, expectations were high. However, the reality has been far from ideal.

Orlando City’s attack has been anemic. In their first six games of the season, Orlando has managed just one win. The team’s offense ranks fourth-worst in the league, with a mere five goals scored during that span. To make matters worse, they’ve gone three games without finding the back of the net.

Fortunately for Orlando fans, the team had a bye last week for Coach Oscar Pareja to figure out how to reignite the Lions’ offensive spark. He has talented players to work with, Duncan McGuire has contributed two goals, while Nicolas Lodeiro and Jack Lynn have each added one, and the team’s designated players, Facundo Torres, Martin Ojeda, and Luis Muriel have all shown offensive skills in season’s past.

For United to get their third home win, the Black & Red will need to show the same defensive tenacity they have shown the past two weeks. If they can, the doubts that have been growing within the psyche of Orlando City players will work in United’s favor.

Things to Watch: 

Offense – The offense will continue to run through Christian Benteke. His hold up play  on long passes is unsurpassed in MLS, and his ability to link up with teammates has been a key ingredient to DC United’s attack this season. What makes this season different than last is that Lesesne has designed an offense that gets Benteke into better scoring positions. When you add Benteke’s finishing to this mix, DC consistently has a scoring threat. Benteke gives DC the ability to go long, and get the ball out from their half of the field. Even when Benteke doesn’t score, his presence forces the defense to pay attention, and can lead to opportunities for others like Mateusz Klich and Cristian Dajome.

The loss of Ted Ku-DiPietro to a knock is a blow, as he’s been such a dynamic threat with the ball and been able to transition the team from defense to offense with line-breaking dribbles. Without KDP in Cincinnati,  Mateusz Klich was more willing to play forward and take shots on goal. With the return of Benteke, there should be even better opportunities for Klich to shoot on goal.

It’s not yet known which player will step up and fill the role Ted KDP plays for United. Pirani technically should be that player, but his play on the field has been forgettable so far this season. The Black & Red could really use Pirani to play to his potential.

Look for the bulk of United’s attack to come from the right side of the field with Jerrod Stroud, and  Aaron Herrera becoming a highly effective offensive partnership. Both have repeatedly demonstrated his ability to cross the ball and provide scoring opportunities.

The other player who has the opportunity to step up is Jackson Hopkins. The young Homegrown has had a decent start to the season, but could use this opportunity to make his mark. Hopkins has the confidence to shoot, which he demonstrated in Columbus with the long range shot that struck the post. If Hopkins can clean up his passing and off-ball movement, he could really push to continue starting.

Off the bench, United will have its young guns in Kristen Fletcher and Jacob Murrell. Both have shown that they have some of the smoother shots on the team, and given half a chance will shoot with confidence.

Defense – Troy Lesesne has decided to start a combination of Conor Antley and Christian Dajome on the left side of the formation. While the offensive production from this choice has been minimal, the defensive contribution has been outstanding. Conor Antley’s ability to play both as a Center Back and a Fullback gives Lesesne flexibility in how United sets up and how it changes depending on the game situation. Nominally, Antley is the Left Back in a back four defensive line, but at times, when United is on the attack, Antley hangs back as a third Center Back, and Dajome and Herrera push up as Wingbacks. 

Both Conor Antley and Christian Dajome have been revelations on the defensive side of the ball. Christian Dajome has bought into the system and uses his speed to disrupt opponents trying bring the ball up on their right. Dajome has also shown he has a knack for stealing the ball, and is willing to put a foot in. 

United is improved this season, in large part because Troy Lesesne has found ways to utilize the strengths of his players and put them in situations to succeed. If the Black & Red play like they have shown they are capable of, then United should earn their third win of the season.

By the Numbers:

DC United

  • DC United are currently 8th in the Eastern Conference, tied on 10 points with 2 other teams.
  • DC United has 10 goals, for at 1.43 per match
  • DC United has conceded 9 goals 
  • DC United has a +1 goal differential
  • Christian Benteke has 5 goals and 1 assist 
  • Pedro Santos has 1 goal and 1 assist
  • Mateusz Klich has 1 goal
  • Aaron Herrera has zero goals, but has 2 assists
  • Alex Bono has 2 clean sheets and 24 saves on the season 

Orlando City SC

  • Orlando City SC are currently 14th in the Eastern Conference
  • With five goals in 6 matches, Orlando City SC ranks 27th in MLS.
  • Orlando City SC ranks 27th in goal differential.
  • Orlando City SC’s Duncan McGuire has scored two goals this season.
  • Dagur Dan Thorhallsson has not scored a goal this season, but he does have one assist.
  • Rafael Lucas Cardoso Dos Santos has no goals, but he has one assist.
  • Jack Lynn has scored one goal but has no assists.

Predictions:

Richard – 2-0 DC. DC United are playing really good soccer while Orlando City are in a bit of disarray; the Black & Red take advantage of the opportunity.

Coverage: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass

Pregame 7:15 PM ET

Kickoff 7:35 PM ET

Listen on…

📻: 1190am, 101.1HD2, 104.7fm

💻: iHeartSportsDC

🔊: Any Smart Speaker 

📱: @iHeartRadio App

Written by: RJ Rolsen 

Categories
Blog Match Reaction Match Review

A View from Across the Pond a Game Review for the Columbus Crew vs DC United Match

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Columbus Crew 1 — DC United 1 

The Starting Lineups

Columbus Crew Lineup: Patrick Schulte, Will Sands (Yaw Yeboah 46′), Malte Amundsen, Yevhen Cheberko, Steven Moreira, Darlington Nagbe, Aidan Morris, Cucho Hernandez, Diego Rossi (Derrick Jones 90′), Marino Hinestroza (Jacen Russell-Rowe 46′), Max Arfsten (Mohamed Farsi 60′)

Unused Substitutes: Nicholas Hagen, Philip Quinton, Taha Habroune, Evan Bush, Cole Mrowka

Captain: Darlington Nagbe

The Formation: 3-4-3

DC United Lineup: Alex Bono, Lucas Bartlett, Conner Antley, Christopher McVey, Aaron Herrera, Jared Stroud (Gabriel Pirani 70′), Jackson Hopkins (Matti Peltola 60′), Mateusz Klich, Cristian Dájome, Ted Ku-DiPietro (Pedro Santos 60′), Christian Benteke

Unused Substitutes: Luis Zamudio, Jacob Murrell, Martin Rodríguez, Matai Akinmboni, Kristian Fletcher

Captain: Christian Benteke

The Formation: 4-3-3

Game Recap:

The Columbus Crew enjoyed much of the ball, but didn’t control the game for large swaths of the match. The Black & Red came out with a game plan and stuck to it diligently. In the first half, the Crew were only able to generate one real scoring opportunity, while United were able to create more chances despite not having the ball.

The crowd was electric and it showed in the team’s play, as the Crew pinned the Black & Red in their half early and often.

Columbus was on the front foot from the start with Cucho Hernandez back from the dog house leading the Crew’s line. 

The Black & Red would take the lead in the 61st minute in what is becoming a signature United moment. The press won DC the ball, leading to an attacking moment that gets turned away, United recovers and the ball ends up with Benteke, who scores. And suddenly Lower.com Field grew silent.

The game would continue as it had been played for most of the night, the Crew would continue to control the ball, but lacked real danger. The United defenders would focus on Cucho Hernandez, and try to get under his skin. This bore fruit in the 75th minute when Hernandez kicked out at McVey, after being pushed to the ground from behind. His studs caught McVey’s leg, and just like that Hernandez went from winning his team a free kick in a dangerous position to getting sent off with a straight red.

Things looked good for United to pick up the win as they were up a man, and continued to stifle the Crew’s opportunities. Unfortunately for DC, Aidan Morris would score with a golonzo of a goal at the 87th minute.

A disappointing result for the Black & Red because of how the game played out, but a result the team would have taken prior to kickoff. United now has four draws on the road, and has traveled to four stadiums where it is difficult to get points. United should have a lot of confidence when they return to Audi Field to face Orlando City SC next week.

First Half

The game kicked off and the Crew pushed up into the attack from the get-go. The Crew stayed with their familiar setup with Adrien Morris and Darlington Nagbe playing in their usual spots in the middle of the field, and the two set a pivot that the Crew’s ball movement revolved around.

One of the attackers, usually Rossi but sometimes Jacen Russell-Rowe, would drop into the midfield to increase their numbers as they tried to pass around United’s deeper line. Nancy’s strategy seemed to be to give Cucho Hernandez as much space to operate as possible, but Head Coach Lesesne’s tactical approach closed that space off.

In response United employed various formations, including a 4-4-2  in defense and a 4-1-2-3 in offense, adjusting to the Crew’s various strategies. United used a midline press to aggressively disrupt the Crew’s build-up play. Their coordinated pressing forced turnovers and the Black & Red moved swiftly into the attack. This meant that though Columbus had more of the ball in the opening half, it was the Black & Red who created the majority of the chances. Surprise starter Jackson Hopkins provided the first real chance when he took a deep shot from distance in the second minute of the game that hit the left post. 

Later Benteke had a pair of quality chances just before halftime, the first blocked by a Crew defender and the second was saved by Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.

The half ended with both teams tied at zero.

Second Half

The second half kicked off started much as the first half was played, with the Crew pressing the attack, and controlling the ball. Head Coach Nancy made one tweak that seemed to help the Crew’s offense with Russell-Rowe coming inside and acting as a second striker alongside Cucho Hernandez.

The Black & Red withstood the pressure and maintained an aggressive and physical style of play that disrupted the Crew’s rhythm. By the end of the game they would record 19 fouls compared to the Crew’s seven.

Christian Benteke would open the scoring in the game’s 61st minute on a right-footed shot from the center of the box thanks to a feed from Jared Stroud.  Benteke started the sequence leading to his goal when his flick-on header from a previous cross kept the ball alive for Aaron Herrera to reach on the right flank. Stroud hit a cross that deflected toward the penalty spot, where Benteke used his 6 ‘3 frame to get space and used a first-time, side-footed shot that gave Schulte no chance to save.

DC United’s strategy to stymie Cucho Hernandez was more successful than they could possibly have expected when he lashed out at Chris McVey and picked up a red card. Prior to his ejection, Hernandez only attempted two shots, none of which were on goal. He had to drop deeper than he likes to receive the ball and he was only able to achieve a 61.1% accurate pass rating on twenty -two passes.

Despite Hernandez’s early exit, United would not be able to see out the win. Not long after DC United had missed a golden opportunity to go to up the Crew managed to get the tying goal. It was Aidan Morris who salvaged the point for the Crew with a goal in the 87th minute. Columbus had made eight shot attempts, three on goal, before Morris connected with the back of the net.

The build up to the goal had the Black & Red dealing with the first cross from the right, heading the ball clear. But as it fell to Morris who dribbled into space. The United defenders were slow to close him down, and the Crew’s young midfielder unleashed a powerful right-footed strike that sailed through a crowd which shielded Bono from seeing the ball till it was too late. Bono dove but the fast moving ball slotted past him, just inside the left post.

The game would go on for an another eight minutes with six extra minutes added, but neither team really threatened to get the winner.

The Black & Red continued to demonstrate promising progress in revamping the team culture and tactics under Troy Lesesne, despite only getting another draw.

Columbus Crew 1 — DC United 1 

Game Stats

Game Stats

Observations From the TV Den: 

  • I can’t seem to get any sound.
  • Hopkins nearly opened his scoring account with a belter from distance.
  • United’s press  clogged up the middle, and made it tough for the Crewto get any rhythm.
  • There were chances there for DC, the difference so far is just inches.
  • Benteke had two great chances in the first half but he just couldn’t put the header on net.
  • In the first half, Aaron Herrera is just owning Will Sands.
  • Connor Antley is definitely earning his starts.
  • Tied at the half
  • DC finally put together a string of passes together like they were able to in the first half.
  • Sound came on
  • BENTEKE!
  • Great goal by Benteke
  • Cucho is gone! Straight Red
  • Dang, Schulte spilled a cross in front of goal, but it was behind Pirani
  • Great steal by Pirani
  • Damn! Aidan Morris just hit a Gloanzo to tie the game 
  • Game ends a draw

Words from the Gaffer: 

Troy Lesesne: “When we reflect on the first seven matches—who the opponents have been. How we have shown in virtually every match so far, then you come to Columbus, and control much of the match, and go up by one—we’re building something. I think this is really important focus. We’re building something, or rather rebuilding something, both on the field and behind the scenes.”

Player Ratings:

Alex Bono                      6.5

Conner Antley                7.8

Lucas Bartlett                 6.8

Christopher McVey        7.2

Aaron Herrera                6.8

Cristian Dájome             7.4

Jared Stroud                   7.5

Jackson Hopkins            6.8

Mateusz Klich                6.7

Ted Ku-DiPietro             6.5

Christian Benteke           8.2

Subs: 

Matti Peltola                  6.0

Gabriel Pirani                6.2

Pedro Santos                  6.8

Man of the Match: Aaron Herrera 

Right Back Aaron Herrera has an amazing pickup by United’s front office, contributing both defensively and offensively. Against the Crew, Herrera shut down Will Sands, helped stifle Cucho, and helped create numerous scoring opportunities.

Next Match: DC United returns to Audi Field to take on Orlando City on April 13 at 7:30 pm ET.

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Blog

Columbus Crew vs DC United Game Preview 

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This fixture last year

The Opponent: The Columbus Crew (3-2-1)

Predicted Lineups: 

Columbus Crew 

Predicted Lineup: Patrick Schulte, Malte Amundsen, Yevhen Cheberko, Mohamed Farsi, Steven Moreira, Darlington Nagbe, Aidan Morris, Yaw Yeboah, Diego Rossi, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Cucho Hernandez

Predicted Subs: Nocholas Hagen, Philip Quinton, Will Sands, Taha Habroune, Marino HInestroza, Evan Bush, Cole Mrowka, Max Arfsten

Captain: Darlington Nagbe

Formation: 4-1-2-3

Injury Report:

Out

  • Sean Zawadzki
  • Derrick Jones
  • Christian Ramirez

Questionable

  • Alex Matan
  • Rudy Camacho

DC United 

Projected Starters: Alex Bono, Aaron Herrera, Lucas Bartlett, Christopher McVey, Conner Antley, Jared Stroud, Matti Peltola, Mateusz Klich, Cristian Dajome, Ted Ku-DiPietro, Christian Benteke

Projected Subs: Luis Zamudio, Matai Akinmboni, Pedro Santos, Martín Rodríguez, Jackson Hopkins, Gabriel Pirani, Kristian Fletcher, Jacob Murrell 

Captain: Christian Benteke

Formation: 4-1-2-3

Injury Report:

Out

  • Steven Birnbaum
  • Russell Canouse
  • Tyler Miller 
  • Nathan Crockford

Questionable

  • Mohanad Jeahze
  • Garrison Tubbs 

The Managers: 

Columbus Crew – Wilfried Nancy:

The French Head Coach is making a good case for being the best head coach in MLS. Entering his second season with Columbus, Wilfried Nancy joined the Crew on Dec. 6, 2022 replacing Caleb Porter, and has already helped guide the Crew to a MLS Cup Championship. 

Nancy came to Columbus after serving as the Head Coach for CF Montreal during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In 2022, Nancy led Montreal to a club-best, regular-season record of 20-9-5. With 65 total points, Montreal finished second in the Eastern Conference and third overall in MLS, just two points shy of the Supporters’ Shield winners. Montreal’s 20 wins were second overall in the league, and his team finished in the top five for goals scored (63). Nancy would finish second in voting for the 2022 MLS Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year award, just behind Philadelphia Union’s Jim Curtain.

Nancy’s preferred style of play emphasizes ball retention and patient build-up. He looks for his team to control the game through short passes and positional play. He asks a lot of his players, and shows faith that they can deliver. If he stays in MLS, there is a good chance that Wilfried Nancy will be viewed as the greatest Head Coach in MLS history.

DC United – Troy Lesesne: 

The 40-year-old American Head Coach has stepped into his role with DC United, truly making the position his in a relatively short period of time. The United position is his first permanent position as an MLS head coach. His journey includes prior managerial experience with New Mexico United in the USL Championship, where he honed his coaching skills over three years. Lesesne then transitioned to the MLS, serving as an assistant manager with the New York Red Bulls before taking on the interim head coach role during most of the previous season after parting ways with Gerhard Struber.

Lesesne’s tactical approach and player-centric management style have swiftly resonated with DC United players and fans. His coaching philosophy is predicated on two key factors: strategic use of high-pressing intensity and quick turnovers leading to attacking intent.

Lesesne’s hallmark is a strategically applied high-pressing game. Drawing inspiration from the Red Bull philosophy, but not replicating it fully, he encourages his players to apply pressure on opponents at opportune times. DC United currently leads MLS in challenge intensity and passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA). Their pressing actions are concentrated in a narrow 4-1-3-2 shape, aiming to overload the midfield or force wide passes from the center-backs to the full-backs.

Lesesne also encourages his side to focus on regaining possession swiftly and launching attacks within seconds of losing the ball. Their 72 high regains this season have led to 31 dangerous recoveries, resulting in rapid shots after winning the ball. The goal is to play forward, create scoring opportunities, and keep the opposition on their toes. 

The first six games should have DC United fans anticipating an exciting era of fun soccer, fueled by pressing intensity and attacking flair under Troy Lesene.

Preview: 

Like last week’s game against CF Montreal, this week’s game is a battle of contrasting styles. Like Montreal, United’s opponent this Saturday, the Columbus Crew, focuses on possession and has a fluid midfield, while DC United aims for balance and relies on their goalkeeper and midfield prowess. The problem for fans of the Black & Red is that Columbus Crew are just a lot better than CF Montreal in playing with the ball.

For the Black & Red to stand a chance against the current MLS Cup winners, United will need to strike a balance between defense and attack. Goalkeeper Alex Bono will need another stand out game, and the midfield of Mateusz Klich and Matti Peltola will need to be able to disrupt the likes of Darlington Nagbe and Aidan Morris, who have been one of the best midfield partnerships in MLS the last two seasons.

The clash between these two teams at at Lower.com Field will be an intriguing battle and a real test for Troy Lesesne’s team.

Keys to the Match: 

Will Cucho Hernandez play? 

For the last week the overarching story about the Crew has been — what’s going on with Cucho Hernandez? 

The Crew’s star striker has been conspicuously absent from the team’s two most recent games. These included a road game against Nashville SC, and the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter finals against Tigres UANL. While

The situation has generated considerable buzz on social media, with supporters eagerly awaiting updates.

Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy has been reluctant to go into detail about what was behind this absence, but it was known that it was not injury related. Although Nancy has continually refused to disclose details, including the status of Hernandez’s availability for the Crew’s home game against DC United on Saturday, he did say on Thursday that the situation is “not about Cucho”, but rather the big picture.

While not confirmed, Nancy seems optimistic that Camacho will return to the Crew’s starting lineup when they take on the Black & Red. Hernandez has scored the four of the Crew’s nine goals in the first six matches of the season, so having him back and motivated could spell trouble for United. 

Can DC handle the Crew’s possession based style?

The Crew enters this weekend’s game in good early-season form with a 3-2-1 record, demonstrating that they are again one of the elite teams in MLS. The Black and Yellow will look to keep control of the ball through short passes, and ball retention via the dribbling prowess of players like Darlington Nagbe. Under the tutelage of Wilfried Nanc, the Crew have become the masters of patient build-up and positional play leading to real scoring chances. 

Against this, the Black & Red will look to employ an aggressive pressing strategy, with their forwards and midfielders relentlessly closing down Columbus’s players. Against Montreal this tactic was very successful as United denied their opponents time and space to build up any real rhythm of play. The pressing was particularly effective in the middle third of the pitch, disrupting Montreal’s passing lanes and forcing hurried decisions.

Darlington Nagbe, Aidan Morris, Yaw Yeboah, and Diego Rossi are much better than any combination of players CF Montreal could muster. If they are able to break the press, Diego Rossi, Jacen Russell-Rowe and especially Cucho Hernandez could have a field day with United’s defense and create too many opportunities for Bono to keep a clean sheet.

Things to Watch: 

Offense – Of course DC United’s attack utilizes vertical ball progression and takes advantage of the towering presence of Christian Benteke at the top of the formation. However the key to the black and red offensive success lies not at the top, but in the middle, in the name of Mateusz Klich. Klich’s contributions deserve more recognition in this league. His versatility stands out in Troy Lesesne’s game plans, where he operates as a hybrid between attacking midfielder and a box-to-box midfielder. 

Klich covers ground at a high rate, shoots on goal, and possesses leadership qualities that make him the on field leader in games.

His ability to push the ball forward plays well with Benteke, and his passing has made the Belgian Striker more goal dangerous. Klich’s time with Leeds has allowed him to quickly adapt to Troy Lesesne’s high-pressure tactics while maintaining comfort in possession that the new strategy calls for. His ability to create danger and guide teammates strategically has allowed his teammates to move fluidly around the field giving them more opportunities to play to their strengths.

This will be needed in Columbus. Klich’s ability to receive the ball from either the defense or Petola, and quickly move it forward will determine if United can give the Crew a game. DC’s press got most of the attention from last week’s match against CF Montreal, but an underreported portion of the game was the Black & Red’s quick movement of ball. Repeatedly United moved the ball with quick one touch passes that cut through Montreal’s defenders.

United was not able to make the final pass or score the opportunities created, but those chances were there. Columbus is one of the best teams in MLS, but they can be scored on. United can’t be as wasteful as they were last week if they want a chance.

The other aspect of the offense that will need to step up is the combination of Stroud and Herrera on the right. Their partnership has been an unexpected highlight of the season. The attack for DC has been heavily weighted to the right side of the pitch.

Aaron Herrera gives the team the ability to cross the ball from out wide, which allows Jerrod Stroud to cut in and press inside. When Stroud stays outside, Herrera can shift inside to clog the middle. 

With a team like the Crew, Herrera may have to play further back, but if he can move into the offense, Herrera gives United another player capable of passing the ball to Benteke’s head.

Defense – DC United’s  defense has been a huge upgrade this season from last. What is most remarkable is that it is made up of entirely new pieces. Only Goalkeeper Alex Bono is a locked-in starter who played defense at the end of the 2023 season. Head Coach Troy Lesesne has done an amazing job bringing in all these new players and mold them into a highly competitive defensive unit.

One of the more impressive signings has been Finland international midfielder Matti Peltola. Not only is Peltola new to the team, he’s new to MLS and the United States. Yet the 21-year-old Young DP has hit the ground running, and while not perfect really has made a huge impact for the Black & Red. Peltola is averaging a team-high 3.4 successful tackles per 90 minutes and is ranked first in MLS in tackles won with 16.

Playing as the deepest midfielder in a 4-3-3  or 4-1-2-3 this season, he’s been an excellent compliment for Mateusz Klich. Peltola covers a ton of ground and sweeps up in behind his more advanced midfield teammates. According to FBref, the young Finn is fourth in MLS in tackles plus interceptions, though he has played fewer minutes than the three ahead of him.

Against the Crew, Peltola’s dogged determination will desperately be needed. Darlington Nagbe and Aidan Morris are proven MLS stars who have dominated MLS in recent seasons, and have a history of carving up DC United. With the aggressive pressing that Peltola is becoming known for, he will need to relentlessly close down the Crew’s stellar midfield and disrupt their rhythm of play.

Another new player who has integrated well into DC United, and probably surprised many is Conner Antley. The seasoned defender has become a key player in the defense since joining DC United from the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL Championship. Having started the first four games on United’s bench, Antley has established himself as a starter in the backline the last two games.

Antley’s ability to play multiple positions in the defense has been invaluable for Troy Lesesne. Whether slotting in as a full-back or center-back, he adapts seamlessly to the needs of the situation. His versatility has allowed Lesesne to tweak formations both prior and in games without compromising the defensive solidity. This has made identifying what formation the Black & Red are playing at any given time very challenging. There are times when United are supposed to be in a 4-3-3, but really are in a 3-4-3. By shifting into more of a Center Back role, Antley allows Cristian Dajome and Aaron Herrera to play more advanced as Wingbacks.

Moving Conner Antley into the starting lineup has also allowed Pedro Santos to come off the bench. In the long run this is better for United as the 35 year old’s legs are saved, and he can make a difference off the bench. Santos showed the offensive spark he can provide against Montreal with his goal, but he can also add his deep line passing, which was demonstrated against Portland in the game tying goal.

By the Numbers:

Columbus Crew are currently 3rd in the Eastern Conference, tied on 11 points 

Columbus Crew has 9 goals-for at 1.5 per match

Columbus Crew has conceded 6 goals  

Columbus Crew has a +3 goal differential

Columbus Crew are ranked 18th with 4.3 shots on target per match

Cucho Hernandez has 3 goals and 1 assist

Diego Rossi has zero goals, but 3 assists

Jacen Russell-Rowe has 2 goals 

Sean Zawadzki has 1 goal and 1 assist

DC United are currently 8th in the Eastern Conference, tied on 9 points with 3 teams.

DC United has 9 goals-for at 1.5 per match

DC United has conceded 8 goals 

DC United has a +1 goal differential

DC United rank 6th in MLS with 5.5 shots on target per match

Christian Benteke has 4 goals and 1 assist 

Pedro Santos has 1 goal and 1 assist

Mateusz Klich has 1 goal

Ted Ku-DiPietro has 1 goal

Aaron Herrera has zero goals, but has 2 assists

Matti Peltola is averaging 3.4 successful tackles per 90 minutes and is ranked first in MLS in tackles won with 16

Alex Bono has 2 clean sheets and 24 saves on the season 

Predictions:

Richard – 3-1 loss; the Black & Red break their streak of three straight draws, but unfortunately fall to the MLS Cup Champions.

Coverage: Apple TV Season Pass.

Pregame 7:15pm 

Kickoff: 7:30pm 

Listen on…

📻: 1190am, 101.1HD2, 104.7fm

💻: iHeartSportsDC

🔊: Any Smart Speaker 

📱: @iHeartRadio App

Written by: RJ Rolsen 

Categories
Blog Match Reaction Match Review

A Bird’s Eye View from Audi Field – A DC United vs CF Montréal Game Review

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DC United Lineup: Alex Bono, Lucas Bartlett, Conner Antley (Pedro Santos 74′), Christopher McVey, Aaron Herrera, Jared Stroud (Kristian Fletcher 84′), Matti Peltola (Jackson Hopkins 62′) Mateusz Klich, Cristian Dájome (Gabriel Pirani 74′), Ted Ku-DiPietro, Christian Benteke

Unused Substitutes: Luis Zamudio, Jacob Murrell, Martin Rodríguez, Mohanad Jeahze, Matai Akinmboni

DC United’s Lineup

CF Montréal Lineup: Jonathan Sirois, Fernando Alvarez, Joel Waterman, Ruan (Sunusi Ibrahim 89′), Gabriele Corbo (George Campbell 89′), Samuel Piette (Nathan-Dylan Saliba 74′), Dominic Iankov (Bryce Duke 73′), Mathieu Choiniere, Matias Coccaro (Lassi Lappalainen 68′), Ariel Lassiter, Josef Martinez

Unused Substitutes: Sebastian Breza, Victor Wanyama, Joaquin Sosa, Mason Toye

CF Montreal’s Lineup

Recap: 

In the match between DC United and CF Montreal there was an intriguing clash of styles. Under Lesesne, United is playing a controlled pressing strategy, while CF Montreal under Courtois wants to play out of the back with a controlled possession game.

Right from the start of the game, DC United adopted an aggressive pressing strategy. Their forwards and midfielders relentlessly closed down Montreal players, denying them time and space to build up their attacks. The pressing was particularly effective in the middle third of the pitch, disrupting Montreal’s passing lanes and forcing hurried decisions.

DC United’s midfielders, led by Mateusz Klich and Matti Peltola, intelligently cut off passing lanes. They anticipated Montreal’s movements and intercepted passes, preventing the ball from even reaching the halfway line for much of the first 15 minutes.

By stifling Montreal’s passing options, the Black & Red disrupted Montreal’s rhythm and prevented them from establishing their controlled possession game.

United sought to capitalize on their forced turnovers. When they won the ball back, they quickly transitioned into attack mode. Stroud especially sought to exploit the spaces created by the turnovers, and made a number of crosses into dangerous areas. Unfortunately none were able to create any true chances.

The game had a chance of being truly frustrating with a number of realistic scoring opportunities going by the wayside for the home team. However a timely strike by Pedro Santos gave DC United a one goal advantage, which would be enough as Bono would record his second clean sheet of the season.

DC United 1 CF Montreal 0

First Half: 

The Black & Red opened the game in dominant fashion and perhaps unfortunate not to take a lead.

Playing at Audi Field provided the Black & Red sought to take advantage of their home field. They played with energy and tenacity, which helped to create an electric atmosphere in the stadium, which fueled the team’s determination, and allowed United to keep up the press longer than usual.

Its best chance came in the 24th minute, when Benteke’s header of a cross from the right forced Sirois into a sprawling reflex save.

Throughout the first half DC United had some very legitimate shots on goal. Benteke put one headed shot on goal that the goalie was able to get just enough of his fingertips on that it slowed the ball enough for a defender to clear it off the line. At another time Benteke got open in a crowd of defenders, but was too under the ball and it went over the bar. Then another time he put a header off the post. There were also shots from Stroud and Ted KDP that were blocked by defenders before they could go in. It seemed that at some point there would be a goal by DC.

That point nearly happened just before the end of the half. Ted KDP earned the Black & Red a free kick with his dribbling in tight spaces. A Montreal defender lashed out and caught the young forward’s ankle. Mateusz Klich stepped up and took the free kick. His shot was perfect, it bent around the wall and was on target, unfortunately, Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal’s goalkeeper made a beautiful diving save. He was completely stretched out, and just got his hand on the ball.

At the half  DC United 0 CF Montreal 0

Second Half: 

The first half was pretty much DC United all over CF Montreal, and the second half continued much of that, though not quite as dominating. Benteke continued to use his size and strength to dominate the defense, and was unlucky to score.

Ted KDP continued to push the ball forward and demonstrated a second gear in the open field that seemed to catch Montreal off guard. It forced CF Montreal Center Back Joel Waterman into a cynical foul that was initially ruled a Red card offense, but was downgraded to a Yellow by VAR. It probably should have remained a Red, yes there was another defender past Ted KDP, so it wasn’t a sure scoring opportunity; however Waterman made no attempt on the ball, put his studs into Ted’s calf and heel, and is a really dangerous play, the Achilles ligament is extremely vulnerable to that tackle.

The game continued with both teams creating opportunities. Josef Martinez would get the best opportunity of the night for CF Montreal, when he was able to receive and turn with the ball at about the spot. His shot got past Bono, but not Aaron Herrera, who cleared the ball off the line.

The hero of the game would turn out to be Pedro Santos. The 35-year-old defender started the game on the bench, and came in to replace Conner Antley in the 74th minute.

In the scoring play, Benteke won the initial aerial challenge off a throw-in in the penalty area to keep the ball alive, and then it was only half-cleared by Montreal’s defense.The ball ended up in front of Pedro Santos who ran up and shot with confidence to score his first goal of the season in the 85th minute. It was a one-touch shot from just inside the penalty box into the top corner of the net for the game’s only goal.

As the game wound down, the Black & Red setup in a compact defensive shape with a lower block, denying Montreal any gaps to exploit. United’s backline worked well as a unit, making it difficult for Montreal’s attackers to find any pockets of space.

DC United’s high-intensity pressing, tactical discipline, and timely transitions stifled CF Montreal’s controlled play for most of the game, and when Montreal did create chances, individual United players made the plays necessary to keep the clean sheet. 

It was maybe harder than it had to be, but United earned those three points.

DC United 1 CF Montreal 0

Game Stats

United vs CF Montreal Game Stats

Words from the Head Coach:

“A big message throughout the week: We want to push for more. We’re not very happy with some of the draws we’ve had.”

“I wanted to see us get what we deserved. We deserve three points on the night, but we needed to go earn it, and we continued to push, and the guys that came on pushed in a big way. Not just because Pedro scores, but Kristian Fletcher, Jackson Hopkins, and Gabby Pirani come on and push. I’m very satisfied to see them realize what we probably should’ve done in a few of the draws this season.”

Observations From the Upper Deck: 

  • Surprised DC United came out in a 3-5-2
  • Connor Antley getting his second start
  • Pirani, starting on the bench a bit of a surprise
  • DC United came out like their hair was on fire. They are all over. See if Montreal.
  • Depress is working Montreal keeps turning the ball over
  • Klich is setting the tone
  • The press is really working tonight. 
  • Stroud with a cross but it’s cut off by the defender 
  • Klich forces a turnover 
  • Quick pass to Benteke 
  • GOAL!
  • Waived off for offsides 
  • More pressure by United 
  • Stroud needs Dajome or Benteke to make a near post run
  • Benteke heads the ball past the goalie, but the defender clears before it fully crosses the line 
  • Benteke headed the ball just over the goal 
  • Klich nearly scores on free kick
  • Curled the ball around the wall forcing a great save 
  • Halftime tied at zero 
  • Benteke headed the ball into the post 
  • Benteke spins past defender on a the throw in to get goal side on the defender 
  • Benteke is in on goal, but his shot is saved 
  • Aaron Herrera saves a goal.
  • Joseph Martinez gets the ball wide-open net because they’re on the rebound put it on goal. Aaron Herrera takes it off the line.
  • Jackson Hopkins comes in the 62nd minute coming in for Peltola – that’s a surprise
  • Hopkins as a six
  • Hopkins is beginning to fill the Swiss Army knife role that Durkin played 
  • Conor Antley, the Right Center Back dribbled the ball all the way into Montreal’s box
  • 73rd minute Pirani comes in for Dajome 
  • Pedro Santos comes in Conor Antley
  • Lucky for DC, Ruan still doesn’t like to shoot because he was in on goal. He should have shot on goal but he crossed it and it was cut off by McVey
  • Ted KDP has jets!
  • Who knew he was that fast?
  • Ted taken down from behind 
  • Red Card to Waterman 
  • VAR Review waves off the Red Card
  • DC United passing the last two minutes of just not been as sharp guys not seeing the 
  • Montreal players are like falling over when you breathe on them. Luckily the ref isn’t calling anything right now 
  • Hopkins plays the ball up to Benteke 
  • Aaron steals the ball to kill another Montreal scoring opportunity 
  • DC United is just keeping Montreal pin back right now. 
  • Herrera tries taking a shot from halfway line. The ball was on target but the goalie easily got back, but if the goalie had been slow that ball would’ve gone in 
  • Seven minutes of Stoppage time. That seems excessive
  • Final Whistle!
  • DC VICTORY!

Man of the Match: Mateusz Klich

Midfielder Mateusz Klich had a brilliant outing, creating five goal-scoring opportunities and making nine recoveries throughout the match. His presence on the field was crucial to D.C. United’s success, contributing both defensively and offensively.

Player Ratings:

  • Alex Bono                      7.1
  • Conner Antley                8.0
  • Lucas Bartlett                 7.4
  • Christopher McVey         7.0
  • Aaron Herrera                 8.4
  • Cristian Dájome              6.5
  • Jared Stroud                    6.8
  • Mateusz Klich                 8.2
  • Matti Peltola                    7.2
  • Ted Ku-DiPietro              7.6
  • Christian Benteke            8.5

Subs: 

  • Jackson Hopkins              6.7
  • Gabriel Pirani                   6.2
  • Pedro Santos                    7.7
  • Kristian Fletcher              6.7

Up Next: On the road at Lower.com Stadium to play current MLS Cup Champions Columbus Crew.

Categories
Blog Match Reaction Match Review

St. Louis CITY SC vs DC United Game Review 

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St. Louis 2 – DC 2

St. Louis City SC Lineup: Roman Buerki, Joakim Nilsson, Tomas Totland, Josh Yaro, Nikolas Dyhr (Anthony Markanich 57′), Tomas Ostrak (Rasmus Alm 71′), Chris Durkin, Aziel Jackson (Njabulo Blom 81′), João Klauss, Sam Adeniran (Nokkovi Thorisson 81′), Indiana Vassilev (Celio Pompeu 57′)

Unused Substitutes: Ben Lundt, Jake Nerwinski, Akil Watts, Kyle Hiebert

Head Coach: Bradley Carnell

D.C. United Lineup: Alex Bono, Lucas Bartlett, Conner Antley, Christopher McVey, Jared Stroud (Jacob Murrell 71′), Gabriel Pirani (Martin Rodríguez 90’+7′), Ted Ku-DiPietro (Mohanad Jeahze 90’+11′), Jackson Hopkins, Mateusz Klich, Cristian Dájome, Christian Benteke

Unused Substitutes: Luis Zamudio, Nathan Crockford, Hayden Sargis

Head Coach: Troy Lesesne

Recap: 

An undermanned Black & Red turned an early deficit into a halftime lead and then held on to earn a draw. It was another demonstration of what Head Coach Troy Lesesne is trying to do with United. Despite missing a number of key players, and having a limited bench, United took the game to St. Louis, and had a real opportunity to pick up all three points. If not for an unfortunate penalty conceded by Conor Antley, United might have won all three points, as they kept St. Louis from having many real scoring opportunities.

With the 2-2 draw, United has earned a draw in all three of its away matches under Head Coach Troy Lesesne.

First Half: 

The tone of the match was quite evident right from the kickoff. Both teams pressed the other the moment they lost the ball, and when it was regained, immediately pushed the ball forward into the attack.

Their were a couple of scary moments where United players mishandled the ball, presenting CITY with clear scoring opportunities early in the game. The most egregious example was Alex Bono, who received a back pass from McVey. This simple play became fraught with risk when Bono lost the ball in his feet, and then slipped when he went to clear it. The ball ended up going six feet, and St. Louis had their best chance of scoring, save for the scrambling Center Backs who managed to force the shot wide.

Unfortunately, a couple other miscues gave CITY scoring opportunities, and in the 19th minute St. Louis Defender Josh Yaro scored the first goal of the game on a header off a corner kick from Indiana Vassilev. 

Things looked bleak for a minute, literally. This was because St. Louis’s lead lasted until the 21st minute.

United answered St. Louis’s goal with one of their own when Ted Ku-DiPietro scored his first goal of the season. He played heads up and beat everyone to a high deflected ball from Benteke’s header for an easy tap in.

The play started with the kickoff after the goal. A quick pass to Stroud streaking up the field wide right had him with plenty of open space. He quickly sent a high, driven cross to Benteke’s head. The Striker’s header was on target, which forced St. Louis’s goalkeeper, Roman Burki, to push the ball onto the crossbar. The ball deflected high in the air. Only Ted KDP reacted to the rebound that allowed him to dribble the ball into an open goal.

United’s second goal came at the 38th minute, and was a perfectly executed play. Mateusz Klich sprang Stroud on the right flank again. DC’s Right Winger had more time to size up his cross after he used a clever first-touch movement towards the goal line. His low cross to a driving Benteke was perfect, and the Striker put the ball home with an easy right-footed effort from close range. This was Benteke’s fourth goal of the season.

The rest of the half was back and forth with neither team able to create any real scoring chances. United though had to be happy with how the first half had gone.

Second Half: 

There were no changes by either side at halftime, and the second half began much as the first half ended. Both teams created chances but neither could convert their chances. Benteke had a breakthrough on goal, but the defender and goalkeeper combined to stifle the chance. A trailing Stroud received a pass from Benteke, but his shot was rushed and went wide.

At the 57th minute Carnell made his first substitution when he brought on Celio Pompeu foo Indiana Vassilev and Anthony Markanich for Nikolas Dyhr. These changes helped CITY get on the front foot. Pompeu in particular was threatening coming in from the left. On one particular drive the ball popped up in the air, and he got to it a split second before Coner Antley. There was some contact, but since Pompeu kept going with the ball into the box, the collision seemed benign. Unfortunately at the next stoppage, a VAR call was made, and a penalty was awarded to St. Louis CITY. João Klauss would step up and score the penalty kick in the 70th minute for his first goal of the season to pull St. Louis level.

The rest of the game saw United under pressure, with a lot of long clearances. St. Louis continued to put on the pressure, but could never break through. Alex Bono ended the game with six saves, none more important than a stoppage time boot save of Nokkvi Thorisson’s shot from close range in the closing minutes.

The game ended with a satisfying draw, 2-2.

Game Stats

View from the couch 

  • I was right about DC United coming out in a 3-5-2
  • Stroud has come to play 
  • Game is more open than I was expecting 
  • Chris Durkin is looking good for St. Louis 
  • Stroud has been a nice surprise this season
  • Alex Bono made a hash of that
  • Almost gave up a goal. Somehow on the pass back the ball got under his feet then he slipped leaving an open goal. 
  • Luckily the defense was able to keep St. Louis from a getting clean shot.
  • Damn!
  • St. Louis scored 
  • DC United is having trouble tonight with set pieces and gave up a goal on a corner kick.
  • Benteke with the shot
  • TED KDP!
  • Easiest goal KDP is ever going to see
  • What a response!
  • Klich really likes to feed Stroud on the outside 
  • Stroud has serious crossing ability
  • BENTEKE!
  • St. Louis 1 – DC United 2
  • Klich, Stroud, and Benteke all made perfect passes, runs and finish on that goal. 
  • Great play.
  • Halftime 
  • Both teams are very scrappy in this game. 
  • This Ref is terrible. He’s slow on the whistle. He isn’t calling them fairly. McVey was completely fouled . Might’ve been a red card on the St. Louis player because he put studs into his foot but somehow McVay got called for it.
  • Surprising how chippy this game is
  • Benteke on the break.
  • Stroud shoots, but way off target 
  • Both teams have to be happy with the trade. St. Louis have to be happy with Chris Durkin DC is definitely happy with Stroud and Bartlett.
  • Stroud goes down with injury in the 67th minute. DC United’s bench is so light this would be a problem for them.. 
  • Ugh! VAR
  • Damn
  • Penalty against DC
  • Tied game unfortunately 
  • Klich somehow called for a foul, despite standing straight with his back to the St. Louis player crashing into him.
  • Might be Dajome’s best game with United 
  • Bono goes down without contact.
  • 10 minutes of extra time so a long way to go.
  • Oh my God, St. Louis on the break kick save by Bono.
  • Pirani is down now and needing help up.
  • Rodriguez Rodriguez, in for Pirani.
  • Mohanad Jeahze is alive
  • And in for Ted Ku-DiPietr
  • Scary moment with the ball bouncing around in the final seconds of the game 
  • Hopkins with the clearance of a ball that got past a diving Bono
  • Klaus almost in on goal
  • Game ends 2-2
  • Incredible game management from Lasesne 
  • Considering the state of United’s bench I’m fine with a tie
  • Great effort tonight 

Man of the Match: Jared Stroud

Jared Stroud returned to St. Louis with a point to prove, and he did it in spades. His attack from the right flank was on, especially in the first half, and Stroud to Benteke was at the heart of both United goals. 

Player Ratings:

Alex Bono                    6.9

Conner Antley              6.6

Lucas Bartlett               7.4

Christopher McVey      6.8

Cristian Dájome           6.6

Jared Stroud                 7.8

Mateusz Klich               6.8

Jackson Hopkins           6.6

Gabriel Pirani                6.6

Ted Ku-DiPietro            7.7

Christian Benteke          8.5

Subs: 

Jacob Murrell                5.7

Martin Rodriguez          NA

Mohanad Jeahze            NA

Up Next: At home at Audi Field to host CF Montréal

Categories
Blog Match Reaction Match Review

A View from Across the Pond DC United vs Inter Miami  Game Review 

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DC United 1 – Inter Miami 3

DC United 

Starting Lineup: Alex Bono, Lucas Bartlett, Matti Peltola, Pedro Santos, Aaron Herrera, Christopher McVey, Jared Stroud (Martin Rodríguez 79′), Gabriel Pirani (Kristian Fletcher 65′), Mateusz Klich, Cristian Dájome (Jacob Murrell 75′), Christian Benteke

Unused Substitutes: Luis Zamudio, Conner Antley, Jackson Hopkins, Matai Akinmboni

Captain:  Christian Benteke

The Formation = 4-1-3-2

Inter Miami 

Starters: Drake Callender, Tomas Aviles, Nicolas Freire (Sergii Kryvtsov 31′), Noah Allen, David Ruiz, Sergio Busquets, Diego Gomez, Julian Gressel (Jordi Alba 76′), Federico Redondo, Leo Campana (Shanyder Borgelin 75′), Robert Taylor (Luis Suarez 62′)

Unused Substitutes: CJ Dos Santos, Ryan Sailor, Lawson Sunderland

The Formation = 4-3-3

Recap: 

Inter Miami started the game with several changes to its starting XI from its midweek win over Nashville SC in the Concacaf Champions Cup, most notably with Lionel Messi out and Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba on the bench. DC United looked to take advantage of this and started the game on the front foot, with an all out press which seemed to confound the Herons. 

Over time, Inter Miami’s Manager made some adjustments to how his team was going to counter United’s press. As the game wore on Inter Miami took control. It may not have been Messi and Suarez leading the attack, but an attack of Robert Taylor, Campana and Gressel, which looked nearly as effective. In addition with Diego Gomez, Sergio Busquets and Rodondo controlling the midfield, it looked only a matter of time before Miami will break through.

That would come when Luis Suárez enter the game. He really can’t run like he used to, but he still took over. He scored twice off the bench in the second half to ensure Inter Miami stayed a top of the Eastern Conference, and give United its first loss of the season.

First half 

DC started the game on the front foot as they did against New England. United’s aggressiveness and tenacity flustered the Miami players early on, who could not string together any passes in DC’s half. While on the other hand, the Black & Red were creating real opportunities.

The best opportunity happened when Benteke took a perfect pass from Pirani just behind the defense and shot on goal, unfortunately he couldn’t generate enough power and Miami’s goalkeeper, Drake Callender, easily saved it.

More crisp passing a few minutes later led to the opening goal g in the 14th minute. Stroud, who got between Miami’s defenders and took a pass from Klich and blasted a shot past Callender for his first goal of the season.

Unfortunately for the Black & Red, Miami’s Campana answered 10 minutes later with a goal for the Herons. After his initial header was denied from close range, DC wasn’t able to properly clear the ball. The young Ecuadorean forward benefited from the scramble to keep the ball in play. A teammate on his back poked the ball to  Campana, which provided a second chance to finish, which he did with a left-footed shot from the center of the box.

At the same time Inter Miami’s defense greatly improved,  in part because of changes made by Tata Martinez, and in part by the introduction of Sergiy Kryvtsov, who replaced Freire when the Center Back picked up an injury. With a more solid base, Miami’s Midfielders, Diego Gomez, Sergio Busquets and Rodondo, began to boss the center of the pitch. Due to DC’s pressing, young DP Matti Peltola, was often left to cover too much ground by himself, and was overrun.

The game was tied at the half, but United was really just hanging on in a way they had not seen this season.

DC United 1 – Inter Miami 1

Second half 

Adjustments were made and DC began the second half as the stronger of the two teams. Mateusz Klich and Peltola had dropped a bit deeper, and were more direct in their passing. Similarly, neither of the Fullbacks went as far forward.

While these changes helped stabilize the defense, the Black & Red were not creating as many opportunities to score. It began to look like a draw might be in the offering.

This would change, however, with the introduction of Luis Suarez in the sixty-second minute of the match. The 37-year-old looks his age and near immobile at times but he still knows how to put the ball into the back of the net. On his first goal, Suárez allowed Federico Redondo’s pass to reach Leo Campana, who drove the ball and then sent a perfect cross to Suárez who had perfectly positioned himself to slot the ball into the back of the net. This gave Miami their first lead in the seventy-second minute, just ten minutes after the Striker had entered the game. Suárez provided insurance just thirteen minutes later with a perfect chip shot which lofted the ball just over Bono’s outstretched fingertips before falling just over the goal line. 

With DC down to ten men due to a red card awarded to Pedro Santos, the game was well and done. DC United would unfortunately suffer their first loss of the season, and Inter Miami would continue to be the darlings of the league.

DC United 1 – Inter Miami 3

Side Note – Luis Suarez has been an incredible player, who I have enjoyed watching for years, both with Barcelona and in international play. It was an incredible display of scoring that I witnessed yesterday. However, I have read some people who are already crowing about how off people are who questioned how Suarez would fare in MLS, as if they have already been proven wrong. I would point to the calendar, we are at the beginning of the season, that Luis Suarez is tearing it up right now, not that surprising. If he is still doing it in September will be another question.

Game Stats

Observations From the Upper Deck: 

  • Pirani is showing up today.
  • Sweet pass to Benteke from Pirani 
  • Damn! That would have been an amazing opening goal.
  • STROUD!
  • Amazing shot!
  • Need to clear the ball better!
  • Damn!
  • Campana’s shot was perfect.
  • If that’s not clear and obvious penalty on Dájome, then I don’t know what is.
  • This referee is too inconsistent in his calls 
  • How is that not a pen?
  • Handball?
  • Nope, not given 
  • A real change in the game’s momentum after Miami’s goal. DC looks like they’re chasing after  the game instead of controlling it.
  • Halftime tie
  • DC is looking better 
  • Mateusz Klich has upped his game 
  • Would be nice if the refereeing was more even handed 
  • Yellow on Peltola? How was that not a foul by Busquets?
  • Benteke header!
  • Wait! How was that not a corner?
  • Luis Suarez coming on
  • Kristen Fletcher coming on
  • That kind of says it all
  • Goal by Luis Suarez 
  • Is that Martin Rodriguez?
  • Did Luis Suarez just chip Alex Bono?
  • Yes, yes he did 
  • That’s a wrap folks 

Player Ratings:

Alex Bono                     5.7

Aaron Herrera               7.2

Lucas Bartlett                6.6

Christopher McVey       5.9

Pedro Santos                 6.1

Matti Peltola                  6.1

Mateusz Klich               7.5

Jared Stroud                  7.3

Gabriel Pirani                6.4

Cristian Dájome            6.1

Christian Benteke         7.3

Subs: 

Kristian Fletcher           6.4

Jacob Murrell               6.0

Martin Rodriguez         6.3

Images from the game:

Up Next: At St Louis CITY

FC Cincinnati vs DC United Game Preview 

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The Opponent: FC Cincinnati (1-0-1)

Predicted Lineups: 

FC Cincinnati 

Potential Starters: (3-5-2) – Roman Celentano, Alvas Powell, Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga, Kipp Keller, Luca Orellano, Obinna Nwobodo, Pavel Bucha, Luciano Acosta; Corey Baird, Sergio Santos 

Potential Subs: Evan Louro, DeAndre Yedlin, Bret Halsey, Ian Murphy, Malik Pinto, Gerardo Valenzuela, Yuya Kubo, Stiven Jimenez, Aaron Boupendza

Captain: Luciano Acosta

Injury Report:

Out

  • Alec Khan (Hand)

Questionable

  • Nick Hagglund
  • Kipp Keller

 

DC United

Potential Starters: (4-1-2-1-2) – Alex Bono, Aaron Herrera, Lucas Bartlett, Christopher McVey, Jared Stroud, Pedro Santos, Matti Peltola, Mateusz Klich, Gabriel Pirani, Jackson Hopkins, Cristian Dájome

Potential Subs: Luis Zamudio, Matai Akinmboni, Garrison Tubbs, Conner Antley, Ted Ku-DiPietro, Martín Rodríguez, Kristian Fletcher, Jacob Murrell 

Captain: Pedro Santos

Injury Report:

Out

  • Steven Birnbaum (left knee)
  • Mohanad Jeahze (thigh)
  • Tyler Miller (right shoulder)

Questionable

  • Russell Canouse (right ankle)
  • Christian Benteke (groin)

The Managers: 

FC Cincinnati – Pat Noonan – The FC Cincinnati Head Coach is a former MLS player who played for the New England Revolution the Columbus Crew, the Colorado Rapids and Seattle Sounders. He ended his playing career with the LA Galaxy, and transitioned to being an Assistant Coach under Bruce Arena. Noonan had two coaching stints under current Arena, one the most successful and well-known soccer coach in U.S. history. The first ran from 2013-16 at LA Galaxy, and the second was with the U.S. Men’s National Team in 2017. After that Noonan moved to Philadelphia where he learned under Jim Curtain for three seasons before accepting the Head Coaching position with FC Cincinnati. He has steadily become one of the best young Head Coaches in the league, leading Cincinnati to the Supporters’ Shield just two years after earning their third straight Wooden Spoon

Noonan utilizes a counterattack strategy based on strong defensive fundamentals, and constant pressure, very similar to the tactics he learned under Jim Curtain. His team has become a strong defensive team with a clean sheet and only given up one penalty goal in league play..  

DC United – Troy Lesesne – The New DC United Head Coach made his debut on the sidelines against Portland after serving a one game ban. He was the interim Head Coach of the New York Red Bulls last season, and picked up an idea or two about how to implement the press. A young energetic Head Coach who helped to establish and led New Mexico United in the USL Championship. Between his time with Red Bulls and New Mexico United, Lesesne has used tactical ideas that are similar to Jim Curtin in Philadelphia and Pat Noonan in Cincinnati.

Summary: 

Two Eastern teams that had impressive games in their second week, face off against each other this weekend, when DC United visits TQL Stadium to take on the Orange and Blue of  FC Cincinnati. 

Last week FC Cincinnati dominated the Fire in Chicago, while DC United came back from two down to draw the Timbers 2-2 in Portland. Both teams showed a lot of their strengths, and are setting a tone early in this season.

In their opening game, FC Cincinnati only managed a scoreless draw against a surprising Toronto. However that result doesn’t look as bad after Toronto gone on to win their next two matches. Despite not scoring, the Orange and Blue created chances, and was the stronger team on the field.

The overarching narrative about FC Cincinnati at this time is their participation in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The Black & Red will again benefit from playing an opponent who played earlier in the week. In addition the Orange and Blue  play the second leg of the Champions Cup just four days after their game against United.

For DC, this will be the second of a two-game road trip, and an opportunity to continue to prove they are not the same team as last season who missed the playoffs.

Keys to the Match: 

Will Benteke play?

Christian Benteke can be a difference maker for DC United. An argument can be made that when he’s at full fitness, Benteke is the best pure Striker in MLS. It’s safe to say that DC United’s chances of winning are decidedly better if Christian Benteke is on the field, especially going up against FC Cincinnati’s back line which features reigning MLS Defensive Player of the Year, Matt Miazga, and USMNT regular, Miles Robinson. 

That said, players like Ted Ku-DiPietro, Mateusz Klich, and Aaron Herrera showed that the Black & Red will play a tenacious style of press, and quick counter attack that will give United opportunities to score. It’s not all is lost if Christian Benteke doesn’t play, it’s just not as easy.

Expect Benteke to start on the bench, and for him to play only if the game offers United a chance to nick a win at the end. Otherwise there is a good chance that Benteke will be saved for next week’s match against Inter Miami.

How rotated will the FC lineup be? 

Like in their opener against the Revolution, the Black & Red will be facing an opponent who is taking part in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. This means FC Cincinnati has already played five games compared to DC United’s two. FC Cincinnati played CF Monterrey of Liga MX on Thursday night at TQL Stadium in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16. These two sides will meet again in Monterrey next Thursday night in leg two at Estadio BBVA. They lost 0-1 to CF Monterrey, so the Queen City’s team is behind the eight ball, but not out of the competition, so there is a chance that FC Cincinnati will be more focused on next Thursday’s match in Mexico.

Because of the CCC competition, there’s a good chance that FC Cincinnati’s starting eleven will be heavily rotated, and the players who do play will most likely have their minutes managed. This is not to say that the players DC United will face are scrubs, the front office of FC Cincinnati have put together one of the deepest rosters in MLS, while Head Coach Pat Noonan is getting the most out of his players.

Does DC’s Midfield control the middle of the pitch?

For DC United to be successful in southern Ohio, the team needs its midfield to come out with the same type of energy as they had in the first two games. The Black & Red will face a loud and raucous crowd of supporters as intense as Timber Nation was last week. At the same time DC will be playing against one of the league’s best midfields led by reigning MLS MVP Luciano Acosta. The Black & Red will need to weather the opening minutes of the game and have Mateusz Klich and Matti Peltola do what they have done so well in their first two games and take control of the center of the pitch.  Matti Peltola has been everything United needs him to be in this young season. He has been quick to the ball, willing to put in a challenge, and able to spray the ball around the field with accurate passes, a perfect partner to Klich. At the same time Mateusz Klich has been the leader of the team on the field, setting the tone with both his intensity and his willingness to put in a challenge. Klich may be Polish, but he was born to play Concacaf.

Expect DC’s central players to play with the intensity and drive in the midfield as they have in the two opening games, and use the outside backs to advance the ball in quick attacks. It’s a combination that leads to chances for the Black & Red, and will keep them in every game.

Which Aaron Boupendza shows up?

Aaron Boupendza can score. He’s a threat every time he’s on the ball, and he’s just as dangerous without the ball as he has the ability and knowledge to put himself in dangerous positions when his team has the ball. Last week, Boupendza capitalized on a turnover by the Fire to open up a 1-0 lead in the 39th minute at Chicago. His shot showed the pinpoint precision he can place a shot.

Last season Boupendza joined midway through the season as the replacement for Brenner who had been sold earlier in the year. He made a swift impact upon arrival that greatly contributed to the FC Cincinnati’s success. In seventeen appearances across all competitions, the Gabonese striker netted six goals and tallied two assists. Despite this success, it was clear the acclimation process for Boupendza was not smooth or without a bit of angst. The challenges of moving to a new country that does not speak his language, and fitting in with a new group of players were quite evident. Issues with being on time surfaced with both his club and his international team. There are also times where Boupendza seems disinterested on the field during games, while other times he is by far the best player on the pitch.

Boupendza is set for a big year with FC Cincinnati, but only if he stays focused. How United does in Cincinnati will have a lot to do with how Boupendza comes out and plays against them.

Things to Watch: 

Offense – The Black and Red’s offense will continue to be fed off of its press, and quick transition from defense to offense. No player better embodies this than Ted Ku-DiPietro. Without Benteke up top, aerial crosses will prove to not be as effective, instead it will be important for United to move the ball quickly with short accurate passes, which is where Ted KDP shows his best play on the field. Ted demonstrated his best against the Timbers in the second half of last week’s match. He bossed the midfield, and demonstrated his ability to play through congestion in the opponent’s penalty box. If not for an excellent save by the Timber’s goalkeeper, he would have scored his first goal of the season. Against FC Cincinnati, Ted KDP will be the key to United’s offense.

With Ted KDP playing the focal point of the attack, Cristian Dájome, Gabriel Pirani and Jared Stroud will play off of him with constant movement. The Black & Red will have no size, especially against Cincinnati’s size. FC Cincinnati could feature Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga, and Ian Murphy, all of whom will tower over United’s front line, so scoring opportunities will only come with smart off the ball movement in the attack. 

Pirani has technically been listed as the ten, but during the play on the field you are just as likely to see him playing on the left wing, picking up the ball and dribbling at the defense. On the other side, Stroud is listed as the Right Wing, yet he has been found just as often attacking up the middle and ceding the wide right to Aaron Herrera, who has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to cross the ball and provide scoring opportunities, having picked up two assists in two games. 

Up top, Dájome will never be mistaken for Christian Benteke, but one couldn’t argue against his effort on the pitch. He used his speed to get into scoring positions, and to harass the opposition in the press. He didn’t score against the Timbers, but he had real moments of danger.

The movement of the attacking four, along with the ball movement of Mateusz Klich will allow the Black & Red to create overloads on offense that could be exploited with better finishing.

Off the bench in the game against Kristen Fletcher has quickly cemented himself as a difference maker. His athletic ability and positive play was instrumental in United earning the draw last week and nearly the win. Also off the bench has been Jackson Hopkins, who has played well on the Wing, though his best still might be up the middle. This early season, Hopkins has demonstrated speed and confidence in his role which has made him a truly dangerous super sub. 

Additional players off the bench that have not been seen yet are Martín Rodríguez and Jacob Murrell. Against a team like FC Cincinnati, it could be an opportunity for these players to get time, so they can use their fresh legs against players who have already played a lot of minutes.

Defense – After two matches, we know a bit more about DC United’s completely new defense, and the two showings were excellent. Alex Bono has made the goal his, as he continues to demonstrate he is one of the better Goalkeepers in the league. Bono continues to be calm and collected in his box, making a number of impressive saves and a willingness to be vocal and control his area. Considering he has been playing behind a completely new backline, it has been an excellent showing so far.

The new Center Backs have shown well in both games. Both Lucas Bartlett and Christopher McVey have partnered well with each other, with their strengths complimenting each others. Both handled the pace offered by New England and the Portland Timbers, and did a good job reducing the scoring opportunities of their opponents.

There has been a noticeable improvement by DC United’s defenders to move the ball upfield more frequently through long passes, especially by Aaron Herrera, though oth Bartlett and McVey have also proven quite capable of breaking lines with their passing. Through two games, Aaron Herrera has been the team’s MVP. He has set the tone both on defense, and in pushing the ball forward into the attack. 

On the other hand the Left Back spot has been an

absolute enigma. Pedro Santos is a good soccer player in his prime he would be perfect for the left back spot. Unfortunately Pedro Santos is 35 years old and it sometimes shows on the field. He has all the tools to be a good defender when the team is back, and has the passing ability to play long passes into United’s offense. It’s in the open field where Pedro Santos is found out. He just doesn’t handle speedy attackers when there is a lot of space. If Santos is having difficulties against FC Cincinnati, he could be pulled and replaced by Conor Antley.

Central Defensive Midfielder Matti Peltola has shown he could easily be the team’s MVP. The young DP may never get the accolades that other young players get, but that is only because he’s primarily a defensive player. In both games Peltola has shown he is worthy of being a young Designated Player. In Portland he again demonstrated great awareness of where to be on the field and intercept a number of passes and opponents trying to dribble through the middle of the field. Playing with Mateusz Klich, the two have made the middle of the field a difficult place to start the attack, which will be necessary again when playing against Lucho Acosta.

It might be more a question does Head Coach Lesesne trust Matai Akinmboni as the starting Center Back in the very hostile environment of Providence Park. 

Through both of the two games this young season, all of the newly acquired defenders have proven themselves to be quality players. This has allowed Head Coach Troy Lesesne to utilize a pressing defense, similar to that which is utilized by FC Cincinnati, so it will be interesting to see how these two teams match up. It could be an absolute train wreck, but it could also be an absolute wild and entertaining match to watch.

By the Numbers 

The Orange and Blue are 3-1-1 across all competitions so far this season. They are again showing they are one of the elites of MLS.

FC Cincinnati key players 

  • Aaron Boupendza has a goal in MLS play 
  • Miles Robinson has a goal in MLS play
  • Luciano Acosta has an assist in MLS play 
  • Corey Baird hasn’t scored for Cincinnati yet

DC United key players 

  • Christian Benteke has 3 goals 
  • Mateusz Klich has a goal 
  • Kristen Fletcher has a goal 
  • Aaron Herrera has two assists
  • Pedro Santos has an assist 
  • Connor Antley has an assist

Predictions:

Richard – 1-1 draw. It will be difficult for DC United to keep a clean sheet in Cincinnati and the Blue and Orange have shown in the past they are quite capable of scoring. At the same time, even without Benteke the Black & Red showed that they are capable of scoring. In the end I believe both teams pick up a point.

Where: TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio 

When: Sunday, March 10, 2024

Pregame: 2:45pm ET

Kickoff:  3:00pm ET

Coverage: Apple TV – MLS Pass

Written by: RJ Rolsen 

Categories
Blog Match Reaction Match Review

A View from Across the Pond – A Portland Timbers vs DC United Game Review 

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The Opponent: Portland Timbers (1-1-0)

Lineups: 

Portland Timbers

Players: (4-3-3) – Maxime Crepeau, Kamal Miller, Eric Miller (Dario Zuparic 65′), Zachery McGraw, Juan Mosquera (Miguel Araujo 85′), Antony (Nathan Fogaca 81′), Eryk Williamson (David Ayala 65′), Diego Chara, Cristhian Paredes, Santiago Moreno, Dairon Asprilla

Unused Subs: James Pantemis, Tega Ikoba

Captain: Diego Chara

 

DC United

Players: (4-2-3-1) – Alex Bono, Lucas Bartlett, Matti Peltola, Pedro Santos, Aaron Herrera, Christopher McVey, Jared Stroud (Jackson Hopkins 73′), Gabriel Pirani (Kristian Fletcher 72′), Ted Ku-DiPietro, Mateusz Klich, Cristian Dájome 

Unused Subs: Luis Zamudio, Conner Antley, Martin Rodríguez, Jacob Murrell, Matai Akinmboni

Captain: Christian Benteke

Recap: 

There’s an old saying in soccer, sometimes a draw feels like a victory, other times it feels like a loss; in the case of DC United taking on the Portland Timbers, the Black & Red definitely felt victorious in their draw.

The evening started on an off note when Player of the Week Christian Benteke was a late game scratch. United’s Striker was held out after picking up a muscle strain during pregame warm-ups.

In a game that matched the two teams that had the most impressive wins in their opening games, Portland Timbers vs DC United was one of the marquee matchups of the night. Both teams have new coaches and are at the beginning of a reboot, and both wanted to prove that the first week’s match was not a fluke.

At the end of the game it’s safe to say that both teams have a lot to be happy about, but also concerns that need to be addressed if they want to be competitive at the end of the season.

First Half: 

A key to the game was could somebody other than Benteke score, and the importance of this question came into stark relief even before kickoff when it was reported that Christian Benteke would not be playing. Suddenly the question of who could step up and score for the Black & Red was of the utmost importance if they were to get any type of result at Providence Park.

As in the first week United came out pressing high, attempting to turn the ball over and quickly transition to offense. They had some success, but Portland’s counter press meant that a lot of the opening minutes were a ping pong match of the ball going back and forth between the two teams and neither really getting a hold of the game. The first 15 minutes of the game was what is quickly becoming a hallmark of Troy Lesesne’s DC United matches, frenetic.

In that time though there were two troubling trends that would concern the Black & Red. The first was that when United did have the ball, they could not seem to create real scoring opportunities. The second was that they seemed vulnerable to the Timber’s speed in their counter attack.

It was this second concern that came to bite United in the 18th minute. Santiago Moreno, not for the first time, made a quick spin move that turned Pedro Santos around, and led a direct counter attack against United’s defense. He dribbled from the midfield all the way into the right side of DC’s penalty box. Driving towards the end line, Moreno cut the ball back to Dairon Asprilla who had positioned himself near the penalty spot. Asprilla’s first-time shot was perfect and the Timber’s Nation were revving the chainsaw to celebrate his goal.

From there the match returned to what the opening minutes had been. The Black & Red definitely answered the question of if they could match the intensity of the first week’s game. United’s press was well organized, and did well to disrupt Portland’s offense. Yet the team still could not manage to develop any consistent offensive threat.

United’s best chance to tie the game happened in the 31st minute when Cristian Dajome, who replaced Benteke in the starting lineup, placed a header from the edge of the six-yard box that Timber’s goalkeeper Crepeau deflected over the crossbar.

Ted Ku-DiPietro also played a dangerous ball across the goalmouth, but there weren’t any United players making the run to finish the opportunity.

The first half would end with the question of who else on DC United can score left unanswered.

Second Half: 

There were no changes to the lineup at the beginning of the second half for either side. The Black & Red started on the front foot, but the Timbers seemed quite content to sit back, absorb United’s pressure and then strike on fast counter attacks.

United continued to play with a high energy full press, but it was less chaotic than in the first half. 

United players were doing a better job to shut down passing lanes, and win loose balls. Another change was the attack stopped being so reliant on aerial crosses. An attack that makes an aerial pass to 6’3 Christian Benteke is always going to be head and shoulders above than one that makes an aerial pass to 5’8 Cristian Dajome. (Pun intended)

United started to use more quick passes to their feet and direct dribble at the defense to create offense, with more opportunities created. The lack of a proven goalscorer though, and great goal keeping by Portland’s Maxime Crepeau, meant that the Black & Red continued to trail.

Dajome was able to put another good shot on goal to get the tie in the 51st minute when he placed a shot from the edge of the box past a diving Crepeau. Unfortunately it ricocheted off the far left post. Ted Ku-DiPietro crashed the goal, and managed to get a leg on the ball, but it was at a weird height and he was unable to get his leg over the ball and it went high over the goal.

This near miss seemed to galvanize KDP, who became a Tasmanian Devil in the center of the field. Both offensively and defensively, Ted KDP was making himself be noticed. Unfortunately, despite creating a couple of real chances, it was not the Black & Red who scored next. In the 61st minute, Portland’s Left Back, Eric Miller, crossed an aerial ball into DC’s penalty box from the left side of the field. The ball landed in an empty space in front of Portland Winger, Santiago Moreno, who finished the play with a confident shot past an onrushing Alex Bono and into the lower right-corner of the goal.

It looked dire for United at this point, but to their credit the players didn’t hang their heads, and continued to play the new system. Besides Ted KDP, Mateusz Klich, Matti Peltola, and Aaron Herrera all stood out as continuing to play inspired soccer. In addition, Pedro Santos, who had a rough first half, showed grit and determination and raised his game.

United’s relentless effort earned the team a free kick in a dangerous area. Klich’s pass into the box went off a Portland defender’s arm as he tried to signal for an offside. Both the offside and the handball were reviewed, and it was determined that there wasn’t offsides and yes there was a handball. Mateusz Klich easily converted the penalty kick, and at the 72nd minute United had a bit of hope.

Head Coach Troy Lesesne decided to make a change at this point, bringing in fresh legs for the offense, with Kristian Fletcher coming in for Gabriel Pirani and Jackson Hopkins coming in for Jared Stroud. Both Hopkins and Fletcher provided energy and attacking intent.

United’s attack became relentless, and it looked like United was going to get the tying goal when KDP received a quick pass, drove towards the goal, and passed to Fletcher in front of the goalmouth, but Crepeau somehow came back to swallow Fletcher’s shot. The offside flag came up, so it would not have counted, but it set the precedent that Crepeau was going to make United work for any additional goals. Minutes later Ted KDP received another pass, just inside the penalty box, and he quickly placed a solid shot inside the near post. Unfortunately for him,  Crepeau again made another of his amazing saves, and the Black & Red were again left down one.

Still United continued to press, and it was obvious that Portland was hanging on. Head Coach Phil Neville even shifted to a back three, but it wasn’t enough as Pedro Santos made a perfect diagonal cross field pass to a wide open Jackson Hopkins. Hopkins controlled the ball and dribbled towards the goal before making a perfect lead pass to Aaron Herrera who made an overrun towards the end line. As Hopkins continued his run, the defenders were pulled out of position and Herrera was able to place a perfect cross to a wide open Kristian Fletcher, who buried his shot into the goal.

And just like that it was a tie.

Both sides would create different chances over the last few minutes of the game, but neither side was able to really create a really dangerous opportunity. The game would end in a draw, tied 2-2.

Dropped points, but still a performance United can build upon.

Fun Facts

  • The Black & Red are  now 4-4-3 against the Portland Timbers all-time in regular season matchups.
  • United are 2-3-2 against the Timbers on the road all-time in regular season matchups.
  • Newly acquired Defensive Midfielder Matti Peltola had 100% tackle accuracy for the second straight game
  • Aaron Herrera has an assist in two straight matches
  • Forward Kristian Fletcher scored his first goal since the final game of the 2022 season.
  • Mateusz Klich scored his first goal of the season and his third of the last four games.

Words from the Head Coach:

 “Yeah, I’m really proud of this performance. It’s a point.”

“I have a feeling we could have got all three points.”

“The way that we were able to stay together, this is the type of—when you talk about values, when you talk about principles, when you talk about building something together and getting the right energy and spirit within the club. Ultimately when you see a performance like this tonight, that was on full display.”

“And I think a big deal for us is how we’re going about this, and tonight I think we showed a lot of what we have been working on the last six to seven weeks.”

“He [Benteke] is day-to-day. He felt tightness during warmups, and the decision was made to lean on the side of caution.”

Observations From my couch: 

  • Ugh! No Benteke!
  • Benteke out for the game 
  • Losing your main attacking option and target Striker just 5 minutes before the game doesn’t leave me with much hope.
  • DC starts the game the same as last week by putting pressure on the Timbers 
  • Oh! Bad turnover by Santos
  • Santos is not a LB.
  • Timbers are fast on the counter
  • Superb passing by DC, great runs and movement, but there isn’t the final ball.
  • Damn! Santos just got turned inside out.
  • DAMN!
  • Great pass and shot has Portland up 1-0.
  • DC United head to the locker room down 1-0
  • Second half starts
  • Hit the post! Thought that shot was going in. Teddy almost got the rebound.
  • DAMN! Another Goal conceded! 
  • Portland Timbers 2, DC 0. 
  • Santiago Moreno buries the loose ball.
  • Goal aside, United isn’t playing too badly.
  • Another great chance swallowed by Crepeau
  • United are really pinning the Timbers back most of the half
  • United applying pressure again!
  • Damn!  
  • Handball!
  • Going to VAR
  • Referee calls for a penalty 
  • Goal! 
  • Mateusz Klich converts the penalty 
  • Kristian Fletcher substituted in for Gabriel Pirani.
  • Jackson Hopkins substituted in for Jared Stroud
  • Santos is playing better this half.
  • The super sub kids have brought energy.
  • Damn! Ted KDP had a beautiful shot off a perfect pass from Aaron Herrera but it was saved by Crepeau, who is standing on his head.
  • Ugh! Kristian Fletcher looked to tie the match off of a perfect pass from Ted KDP, but Crepeau made an amazing save in the center of the goal. 
  • Would have been offside.
  • Have to credit Santos on that diagonal pass to Hopkins.
  • Goal!
  • Kristian Fletcher buries his shot from up close off Aaron Herrera cross.
  • Aaron Herrera is on the ground, but it looks like cramps.
  • Nervous as Kamal Miller puts a header towards goal off of a corner kick, but it sails high and wide to the right. 
  • Match ends with Portland Timbers 2 and DC United 2
  • Pretty pleased all things considered.

Player Ratings:

Bono               5.9

Herrera           8.7

Bartlett            7.4

McVey            7.1

Santos             7.4

Klich               8.0

Peltola            7.8

Ku-DiPietro    6.7

Pirani              6.6

Stroud             6.8

Dájome           6.7

Subs: 

Fletcher         6.9

Hopkins        6.4

Man of the Match –

Aaron Herrera – The Guatemalan defender was everywhere in this game, setting the tone on defense, breaking up Portland’s build up in the center of the field, and providing great service in the attack. Herrera is proving to be a great addition to the team.

Up Next: At the FC Cincinnati (1-1-0)

Written by: RJ Rolsen 

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