Columbus Crew vs. D.C. United: Preview, time, and how to watch
Fresh off a home win against CF Montréal, D.C. United looks to continue its winning ways on the road against the Columbus Crew.
Head coach Troy Lesesne is laser-focused on ensuring he makes the most of the roster he has, so while the Black-and-Red still lacks some depth, don’t expect to see his high expectations dip.
While the Black-and-Red pulled out an impressive 2 xG in the first 45′ against Montréal, Lesesne says he wants to “challenge our group on, materializing those into actual goals. Expected goals and actual goals are sometimes two different stories. But I do think the story is we are generating chances, we are finishing some, and we want to finish many more in order for us to secure more three point results.”
D.C. United will have their work cut out for them tonight. The 2023 MLS Champions sit at a comfortable third place in the Eastern Conference and have been performing well, with only one loss this season – to Charlotte FC. Columbus remains undefeated at home this 2024 season.
Will the Black-and-Red be able to break the Crew’s perfect home record? Make sure you’re watching tonight and find out!
Check out what head coach Troy Lesesne had to say in the pre-game press conference.
Hear Ted Ku-DiPietro’s take ahead of tonight’s Columbus matchup.
Key Player: Christian Benteke
Benteke leads D.C. United in scoring and brings a clinical focus to the Black-and-Red’s attack. The striker’s experience serves as a tempering force, keeping the team from getting too far into their heads when the match isn’t going their way. We’ve seen Benteke shake off both bad plays and bad calls to come back and score decisive goals for D.C. United, and let’s be real, that’s the energy we want to see!
Watch Out For: Cucho Hernandez
While the Crew’s leading scorer has missed the last two matches for undisclosed “team policy” reasons, he is expected to be available and back on the pitch tonight. Should Hernandez land in the XI or the 18, the Black-and-Red can expect him to generate trouble for the defense.
Previously: D.C. United and Columbus Crew last met on April 8, 2023, at Audi Field. Columbus bagged all three points, scoring two goals and keeping a clean sheet.
Columbus Crew Availability:
Out: Christian Ramirez (thigh), Sean Zawadzki (head)
Questionable: Rudy Camacho (groin), Alex Matan (thigh)
D.C. United Availability:
Out: Steven Birnbaum (knee), Russell Canouse (not due to injury), Nathan Crockford (head)
Questionable: Tyler Miller (shoulder), Garrison Tubbs (thigh)
Location: Lower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio
Kickoff time: 7:30 pm ET
Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
Available streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Old Glory DC’s game day team sheet as it was announced yesterday.
Starting XV: Jack Iscaro, Martín Vaca, Calixto Martinez, Rob Harley (Captain), Ignacio Dotti, Collin Grosse, Cory Daniel, Lautaro Bavaro, Ethan McVeigh, Jason Robertson, John Rizzo, Tommaso Boni, William Talataina, Axel Muller, Damien Hoyland
Boom Squad (aka bench): KoiKoi Nelligan, Quentin Newcomer, Tyler Rowland, Tevita Naqali, Brady Daniel, Danny Tusitala, Gradyn Bowd, Mike Dabulas
Are you in the right website?
Yes. I’m the Rugby guy for the site keeping track of OGDC.
And do continue in your stellar fashion!
If Pedro Santos wants to keep scoring, I would be happy to have it happen against his former club.
Heard the Columbus podcast guy talking with RFK Refugees this week. He says they still love themselves some Santos in Columbus…
The funny part about this is my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew were just visiting from Columbus on my nephew’s spring break. They just left to return home this morning. Had a great time with them visiting the remaining cherry blossoms and monuments downtown.
If everyone gets the chance, apparently it was a very tense game, but some banging goals in the USWNT game today, including a laser from Shaw whose early stint with the team is ridiculous. Youth development problems who?
Columbus should beat DC. But I have a history of wrong predictions.
DC’s main chance is that Columbus will have an eye on the trip to Monterrey Tuesday to face Tigres in the away game of that series. They tied the home leg last Tuesday in Columbus 1-1, and may focus more resources on trying to get a win in Mexico than on an early season MLS opponent.
Maybe.
Since they signed Cucho, I’ve honestly viewed every game as a tough one. He’s a very, very talented striker, whoever else they have to back him up is gravy.
Looks like mostly the same starters as last time, only with Hopkins in the midfield and Peltola on the bench… not sure why, though the most likely explanations are either a slight knock or preventing a hugely influential player from dropping into the red zone for stamina and possible injury
Really curious why Peltola is starting out on the bench
Managing minutes. Long season, and he did international duty.
OGDC just blew a 9 point lead. LA had 4 cards including a 2nd yellow for a red. DC had a man advantage for over 30 mins of game time including over 10 mins of 2 man advantage. LA got away with an obstruction there on the tieing try. It’s 19-19 now….Great defense by LA to not give up more points while down a men…but just horrendous by DC. DC needs this win to stay in the fight for the playoffs.
Though it looked like a missed obstruction call on LA that led to the tieing try.
Sorry it’s 22-22
Oh damn deliberate knock on so yellow against LA with 2 mins left. DC a man up here for the rest of the game.
DC blows 2 pts and ties LA 22-22, but LA gets a bonus point for 4 tries.
Alright, tough game most likely incoming, but Vamos United, let’s do this!!!
Cucho’s been out with a two game “club policy” suspension?
What happened there?
Seems like there’s nothing available out there and some tight lips from the org. Huh… maybe we should be flattered to break the streak?
The likely explanation is that a couple of games ago, he was subbed out and had a mini-tantrum, was disrespectful to Nancy coming off. Everyone has been tight-lipped about the “why” but that is the best explanation I’ve seen from anyone.
Hopkins with a near banger very early!
Cucho may be very talented, but he’s also reenacting various death scenes with contact
Is anybody able to watch the game. The broadcast won’t launch on my Apple TV even though other games are on.
Might have to re-log into your account, I had to
Then search for DC United in the search bar. It’s dumb
Per your advice, I tried that. Still can’t get it. I get ALL the other MLS games on my Roku TV
Ahyway, I now have the radio on my phone, and hte game on my laptop Not synched
I didn’t find it till I used the search bar
I had no trouble finding the game at any time. It won’t launch. I tried doing it from the Search as well, I just get the spinning wheel
Did you get it working?
The Crew are a sophisticated MLS side, they’re playing between lines well and not submitting to the press. Will be a good test if we can maintain some sort of midblock at times
Couldn’t get it working on my xbox. So watching on my laptop instead.
Yeah, something happened tonight with Apple TV
I had to sign out of and back into Apple TV on the TV. Laptop didn’t have the issue, but the relog seems to have worked. Like the refresh token needed to be reset.
Bono with a calm intervention
Hopkins thrown in the fire against this midfield, might want to pat those flames out
Looks like we’re gonna be under siege all night at this rate.
Ref laying down the law, he’s having none of Benteke’s bigness 🙄
Lesesne wincing early. But, in some ways, keeping a clean sheet has been a real positive this long.
Stroud has to do better with that cross. We aren’t going to get many attacking chances this game it looks like.
I keep telling y’all — Stroud is not a great crosser. WILDLY inconsistent.
This is MLS. Having both industriousness and clinical crossing, you gotta pay for that with salary
Is it just me or does it feel like we’re just playing to not concede at the moment? And as I type that KDP wins a corner.
Should have found the timing to get it across low, there, imo
TKD with poor timing on that play.
Oh, shit, so smooth, so close! Benteke has that normally
Y’all, were we occasionally wasteful? Undoubtedly, but I genuinely think this is a better team than what we faced with Miami’s lineup, and we’re stepping up, rolling with the punches, and landing a few. This is a good half:
I think Lesesne and Co learned their lesson from Miami. You can’t leave yourself open against teams that are just so good in possession and transition.
DC giving really nothing up in that first half. Cbus can’t seem to pick the lock so far. Some great individual moments from DC, but they continue to be wasteful/unlucky in front of goal. Should be at least 1-0.
Expect the crew to make changes coming out of half. Be it personnel or tactics.
Two changes for Crew at the half. I would be very pleased if we can hang with their subs, but it will be a test
XG at the half is 2.3 for DCU.
we continue to underperform our numbers…so frustrating…
Antley is just good. Don’t really have anything else for this one.
That was some fine Ruben Dias shit from Bartlett there
Peltola and Santos coming on TKD and Hopkins.
Y’all, those might be our best offensive subs…
Interesting sub Santos for KDP.
GOAL!!! Holy crap where’d that come from?
Stroud’s ass, that’s where!!!
Does Stroud get bonus fantasy points for assisting with his backside?
He should at least get it insured
Breakthrough!!! We sock em!!! Benteke!!!
1-0 DC
That deflection off Stroud’s backside….
We’re lucky that didn’t go in…that was sweetly struck by Cucho.
Yep. Kept saying “come on, you guys…” but knew it was out of their hands
Pirani for Stroud
BENTEKE!!! DCU up 1-0
How is Bartlett guilty of a foul when he had a Crew player in front of and in back of him?
It’s gonna be a physical finish, this ref just thinks we’re guilty
Red for Cucho!
Wo, what a pathetic kick out, what a way to let your team down
That was definitely for kicking out there directly into McVey’s knee with studs.
Red to Cucho!
We’re real close, people
Cbus continuing to press forward and attack despite being down a man…this is reminding me of the OGDC game….LA’s second try was when they were down a man for a yellow. They stripped one of our players then used the wind for a kick and chase that they chased down and turned DC over deep in our zone then cross field kick and into the corner for the try.
Bartlett grabbing his hammy…not good…
Think he just got stepped on in the general area
And now Columbus is down to 10 men as Cucho sees red!
Is it just me or does it look like DC is the team playing with 10 men and not Cbus?
Pirani just is that useless
Eh he did just ride off Nagbe’s challenge and get the ball up the field that led to that spilled ball by the Cbus Keeper that Benteke had already gone by and run into the net…
Morris with a rocket to tie it….DC didn’t put the game to bed and Crew tie it despite being down a man.
Pirani was standing around and didn’t pressure Morris–he had time and space to line it up. Then he hit it through a crowd and Bono was screened until it was too late.
Pirani gets an earful
Morris gets a golazo. Low percentage chance that stings.
Gotta go again.
1-1
Do we have another sub slot? Need to get Rodriguez out there. Not a great player, but we need width and speed
6 mins of stoppage let’s see if DC can make it count.
Well, that blows, but I’m not going to be too negative. I really liked what I saw for most of it, we need a real bench in terms of getting forward. We won’t get that likely this season.
Don’t get me wrong. That goal is probably not gonna happen maybe ever again this year, but not closing it down is criminal, especially when you’re up a man.
Overall, though. Still a good result. IF this team can figure out how to take advantage of their chances this will be a terrifying team to play.
Antley, Bartlett, and McVey continue to impress me. Ditto to Herrera, but I already knew he was a solid player.
On your last point, we knew that Herrera was a starter, but the other three? Stellar this season when I think we all were certain they were depth
I would’ve bet my savings that Bartlett and Antley wouldn’t see the field and if they did it would be rough. Not only are they solid defenders, but they are very very good on the ball.
On that note, does Birnbaum have a spot in this team anymore? Hard to say so for me. He’s not a mobile or technical.
maybe if we need a 3rd center back or Birdbaum to be a late game target forward up there with Benteke.
Especially in this system, I think his sun has set.
I think Birnbaum absolutely has a spot on this team and probably on the field. CB is a position with a lot of injuries–there is so much physical contact in congested zones, having to give your body up. Also, accumulating cards is inevitable. I don’t see how we can go through the season with Bartlett and McVey starting 90% of the time–just points accumulation won’t allow it. And Herrera is too valuable at RB to move him inside. Saying Birnbaum isn’t valuable is like saying because Peltola has been so good Canouse doesn’t matter. The big strike going against Birnbaum is his cap hit.
I think we’re all talking about his starter status. He’s obviously not scrap.
One last thing, I have to applaud Dajome for something. We all know his foibles and weaknesses, and he’s on a massive salary relative to his impact as an offensive player. He’s got to know that his days on our roster are numbered. He’s gotta know this isn’t for him.
And he runs and focuses with intensity regardless.
So, credit to Dajome, effort wise, he’s leaving it all out there.