Match Preview: CIN v DC

Tonight see’s us take on bottom of the league FC Cincinnati. On paper, this is a game that we should be winning all day long. However, you and I know that soccer matches are not won on paper, they are won on the pitch, and despite DC United sitting in 3rd in the Eastern Conference, there has only been 1 win in the last 9 games for the Black and Red. FC Cincy on the other hand are on a 2 game winning streak, beating Houston & Chicago. Previous to that they’d only won once in the previous 14 fixtures. Have Cincy clicked? Will Olsen find the right formation and his main lineup? Let’s get into it.

DC United

DC United have a mixed bag when it comes to road games. The current record stands at 3-3-3. So it could be anything that we see tonight. Hopefully we will see the kind of performance that we had in the 2nd half against NE Revs, for the full 90 minutes tonight. Thankfully we are out of the heat wave that is in Washington right now so we can’t be blaming that this time. Acosta is still suspended this evening, and after Olsen appearing in the Cooligans x Total Soccer Show live podcast, it’s been noted that he believes the 3 back is the strongest lineup for us. What do I think the lineup will be then?

Hopefully we can keep the consistency with the 3 back lineup, especially if Olsen believes this is the strongest. I can’t imagine him changing it up, all we need to see is a bit of impetus in the way we attack. We can’t get off to a sluggish start like we have done recently. Fingers crossed we can continue where we left off in the last game.

FC Cincinnati

Struggling all season, they’ve suddenly found some form in the last 2 games, winning both, one at home and one on the road. Again on paper they look very leaky, conceding almost 2 goals a game. This could be a game where DC can score a few. In the last 2 games, 5 goals have been scored in total, but all from different players. Manneh is a threat that DC will need to deal with, and having Pines on the pitch will hopefully mean we can do. The roster of Cincy has been questioned this season, but if they continue the way they do, that won’t matter.

Nippert Stadium is the home of FC Cincinnati, a stadium that generates a huge atmosphere, it is such a shame that they aren’t allowed to stay in that ground yet NYCFC can have the Yankee Stadium. The fans will be behind the team no doubt and it’ll be interesting to see how DC deals with that.

Scoreline Prediction

As long as we continue how we left off against New England, then I can see us really taking the game to them. I could easily see us bagging a few goals. Arriola will want to show he can still do it after his Gold Cup expedition. Rooney leading the charts with 10 goals will want to add to that too. I’d love to see all the goals from open play tonight, shows we are more than just about set pieces. So my prediction is there below.

Where to watch?

Stream: Bet365

TV: FreeSports

What do you think to the preview post? Do you like it and what would you like to see change/added? Let me know in the comments or on social media.