D.C. United will be vying for a comeback at home after a disappointing 2-0 loss at NYCFC last weekend. The Seattle Sounders, meanwhile, have struggled to produce results away from Lumen Field this season and were also bested 0-2 at home by Vancouver last weekend.
In positive news for the Black-and-Red, Mateusz Klich and Aaron Herrera will return after serving suspensions for yellow card accumulation. Their absence as D.C. United faced NYCFC was noted and left Lesesne’s roster wanting.
Both D.C. and Seattle are lingering below playoff contention, making points even more dear heading into tonight’s matchup. While the season is still relatively young, snagging early points gives teams a buffer heading into the grind of summer.
Lesesne is laser-focused and acknowledges that the Black-and-Red “can’t allow ourselves to have the type of performance we had, especially at the beginning of that match, against NYCFC.”
Hear more from head coach Troy Lesesne’s pre-match press conference here.
Will D.C. United pull off another home win against Seattle? Let us know your thoughts on tonight’s matchup in the comments below
Key Player: Christian Benteke
Benteke continues to be the driving force behind D.C. United’s attack this season. The striker’s experience and instinct should keep Seattle on its toes.
Watch Out For: Raúl Ruidíaz
Ruidíaz leads Seattle in goals for the 2024 season and holds the club record for most goals scored across all competitions at a staggering 82 goals. 68 of those goals scored are in MLS competition. D.C. United will need to stay alert to avoid adding another to his tally.
Challenges: While D.C. has been improving on multiple fronts – quicker turnovers, ability to press and create chances – they’ve also been vulnerable on the backline.
Previously: D.C. hasn’t met Seattle since 2019. The Black-and-Red bested the Rave Green 2-0 at Audi Field.
D.C. United Availability:
Out: Conner Antley (Leg), Russell Canouse (Not Due to Injury)
Questionable: Steven Birnbaum (Knee), Theodore Ku-DiPietro (Hip), Garrison Tubbs (Thigh)
Seattle Sounders Availability:
Out: Pedro de la Vega (Hamstring), Jackson Ragen (Not Due to Injury), Braudilio Rodrigues (Hamstring), Alex Roldan (Not Due to Injury)
Questionable: Reed Baker-Whiting (Hamstring), Nathan (Hip)
Location: Audi Field, Washington, DC
Kickoff time: 7:30 pm ET
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Available streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Player Availability/Injury Report: https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mlssoccer-com-injury-report
Out: Antley (Leg), Canouse (Not Due to Injury)
Questionable: Birnbaum (Knee), KDP (Hip), Tubbs (Thigh)
No DCU players out due to red/yellow card suspension and none sitting on caution (yellow) accumulation warning.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-disciplinary-summary
DC has been on the receiving end of some SOFT yellows this season..
Well crap we conceded first again…and it was on the counter not being able to clear it and leaving a runner unmarked.
Let’s hope we turn that around – and quickly!
And there was a graphic that we are winless in 28 straight when conceding first.
Shhhh! Go knock on wood and turn around three times or something hahahhaha. We need those points, Will!
History was wrong!
Defending at any level isn’t hard. The past I don’t know how many coaches at DC don’t seem to instill it in this team. 5 DC defenders in the box and 1 of them is marked on a man. The rest are staring at Morris as he crosses.
Unfortunately, as we’ve gotten quicker on those turnovers and leaned into the high press, we’ve also become more and more vulnerable on the backline. I’m hoping that is something we can remedy in short order.
Agreed, Sarah. Transition defending has been atrocious.
Stroud taken down in the box by Frei! It’s currently a red card and a penalty. It’s going to be checked.
Check complete.
Frei looks dumbfounded as if he believes that was a clear challenge and somehow not DOGSO
Yeah…if he doesn’t take Stroud down there then Stroud has a clear goal scoring opportunity point blank on an open net.
Weird play. Frei fouled him, but the defender was even more red card worthy. Think that roll into his legs was fully intentional.
Let’s go DC!!!
Btw, Apple TV fucked up, I wanted to watch from the start, pressed the right thing, went to live. Fucking hate it
Excellent pen by Benteke.
1-1!!
2 soft yellows for our center backs. God forbid DC gets fair officiating in a match.
This ref is quick with his cards tonight.
Adorned with a tin foil hat, I have a theory that the new PRO contract includes bonuses commissions for cards. Only one game with no cards last night.
Of course I took Benteke off my fantasy team this morning.
Benteke doing Benteke things! 2-1 good guys!
Herrera could not have made that any more of a perfect Benteke chance. Didn’t even have to muscle for it.
2-1 up, man up DC!!!
Even being up a man and a goal, I don’t feel comfortable. Hoping Lesesne changes some tactics and personnel to sure things up.
Having witnessed the Seattle goal, our shape went due to a lack of solid defending on the left. We need a left back. If it’s not Jeazhe, this has to be a priority
Dajome went in soft on a 50/50 and Seattle was off. Not to mention the awful marking in the box. All that said, a starting quality Lab should 100% be DC’s first transfer/trade this summer.
Yeah, but it’s consistently been soft play on the left side of defense, usually Santos, now Dajome. We need to have some cover and steel there
I think Antley is probably #1 on the depth chart there right now. Lesesne seems to have realized that Santos just can’t keep up with the sprints required there so Dajome gets his shot but once one of Birnbaum/Tubbs is 90 minutes fit I wouldn’t be surprised to see McVey moved to LB.
I wonder what the record for yellow cards in an MLS season is. A quick google didn’t get me a result but I’m pretty sure we can smash Leeds United record of 102 in a 38 game EPL season.
Bono hasn’t been bad this season, and he’s probably the better pure shot stopper, but I have to think that Miller has a shot at the starting job. Bono’s distribution is just not quite good enough against high press teams.
Oh look another yellow for DCU. Last game and this game has been a game for refs to see how many DCU players can be carded in a game.
Which team is down a man again?
We definitely need some subs to keep games going late
This second half has zero flow. Partly from soft fouls and partly due to DC having no control despite the man advantage.
I’ve seen cheaper shots on goalies from frustrated opponents, but that was up there
DC has survived a 10 men Seattle. Good, but a little concerning
More than a little concerning.
A win is a win…but that second half was awful. Chalk it up to inexperience from Lesesne and co because they were not ready for Seattle to switch to a back 3 and go for broke.
I still have concerns over the team’s shape and transition defense. So many times you could see 2 or even 3 DC players chasing the ball carrier, leaving huge gaps in their lines. I hope these are being noticed and fixed.
What an absolutely messy second half. I know the roster isn’t the best and he’s dealing with some injuries, but Lesesne really needs to work on a plan to be able to slow the game down at times. It seems like we never look comfortable with the ball unless we’re losing or tied. Once we have the lead and the other team starts pressing we lose our shape completely.
Lesesne’s second half adjustments didn’t make sense to me. Pulling Peltola removed our best shield in front of the backline while Hopkins was playing with a bit too much intensity, resulting in him coming into challenges late and being pulled all over the field. Keeping two up front for so much of the game didn’t really make sense when Peltola could have stayed on and Murrell came off to allow an extra man in the middle. Even when Murrell did come off, Santos seemed to be deployed as a second forward instead of dropping into midfield.
On the plus side, Rodriguez at least showed some hustle tonight and Santos’ veteran savvy really helped us see out the last ten minutes.
Every time we are a man up, I have to keep reminding myself that we are not a man down.
Glad to his on and get a win. The difference in roster depth really shined in the second half.
Ruidiaz is a very dangerous attacker with a 0 out of 10 haircut.
Does anybody have any insights into the murder that occurred about an hour before game time in the Audi Field neighborhood?
I was passing by right after this happened to go into the stadium. Heavy police presence. Apparently an isolated incident, a workplace dispute? Very sad 😔
https://wtop.com/dc/2024/04/man-dead-after-stabbing-outside-audi-field/