NYCFC vs. D.C. United: Preview, time, and how to watch
D.C. United looks to snap back after a disappointing home loss against Orlando City SC with a road win against 12th place New York City FC.
Notably, both D.C. United and Washington Spirit, the District’s NWSL side, will face off against NYC teams today. The Spirit will stay at home as the Black-and-Red trek up to the Big Apple for their matchup.
D.C. United’s roster is looking a bit thin, with key players Mateusz Klich and Aaron Herrera serving yellow card accumulation suspensions and Ted Ku-DiPietro out with a hip injury. It will have to be next man up mentality tonight for the Black-and-Red to nab points on the road.
Despite missing Klich, Herrera and Ku-DiPietro, we’ve got hope. The Black-and-Red haven’t been slouches away from home this season, infusing new confidence and grit into their road contests. They’ve pulled out multiple draws away from home whereas in previous seasons, disappointment ruled away days.
We’re ready for tonight. Are you? Let us know what you expect out of tonight’s matchup with NYCFC in the comments!
Hear head coach Troy Lesesne’s take on tonight’s match here.
Key Player: Christian Benteke
Benteke will be tonight’s go to man for the Black-and-Red. While D.C. relies on the Golden Boot contender for his scoring capability, they’ll also look to him for his leadership on and off the field.
Watch Out For: Santiago Rodríguez
Rodríguez leads NYCFC in goals with three scored so far this season and the midfielder is showing no signs of letting up. D.C.’s backline will need to watch out as Rodríguez has been particularly deft at generating creative chances in the final third.
Challenges: The Black-and-Red are missing key players tonight and will need to leaning a gritty next-man-up mentality to get the job done.
Previously: D.C. United notched a 2-0 home win back on October 7, 2023, over NYCFC. They’ll hope to add another to the record tonight.
NYCFC Availability:
Out: Rio Hope-Gund (Leg), Maxi Morales (Knee), Talles Magno (Knee)
D.C. United Availability:
Out: Steven Birnbaum (Knee), Russell Canouse (Not Due to Injury), Theodore Ku-DiPietro (Hip), Garrison Tubbs (Thigh)
Questionable: Conner Antley (Lower Leg)
Suspended: Mateusz Klich, Aaron Herrera
Location: Citi Field, Queens, NY
Kickoff time: 7:30 pm ET
Referee: Malik Badawi
Available streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
It’s just ridiculous for DCU that we still haven’t added to the roster. I’m not expecting a U-22 player. But a warm body from USL that can be a 15 minute sub at the end of a match. With weather starting to get warmer, the idea of going in to a match with just 15-16 field players available (and some of them like Santos you know will struggle to go a full 90) is scary.
You make a good point. Are we allowed to bring up Loudoun United players that aren’t on loan anymore? Seems like their newfound independence might have affected that, but I don’t know for sure.
This is an insane year of finding out what we have in order to evaluate where to go, this game is an extreme example. If Antley can’t go, our bench is gonna be just players Lesesne would rather not play.
Those days are probably over, and rightfully so. I’m sure we could try to work out a deal, but ti would probably be more complicated than what we did with Drew Skundrich, for example. No doubt we should be looking for unwanted guys like Houston has been.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be upset if we bought out Jeahze and used the cap space to sign Skundrich again. He’s never going to compete for a starting (at least he shouldn’t) but he’d give us a warm body with a high motor.
Old Glory is being absolutely destroyed by Houston down 31-10 at half. So many penalties and ball handling errors by DC and Houston making us pay. At least we only gave up 1 converted try when we’re down a man from a yellow card.
Only five on the bench (including two keepers). We have seven players listed as out, which means we only effectively have 23 players on the roster. That’s beyond paper thin and is going to really limit the teams ability to get results moving forward. Heck, we can’t even do an 11v11 scrimmage with senior players right now.
I give Mackay and Lesesne a lot of credit, but I just don’t see how we couldn’t afford to keep Greene and Asad as depth pieces.
It’s tough, but this was never going to be about this season being the one, or this squad being enough. I would have liked to see Greene stay, I’m less passionate than most about Asad- his ability to keep possession wasn’t even decent at the end.
Lesesne barely likes to play Martin Rodriguez much more than he likes to play Mohanad Jeahze. And given Rodriguez’s showing tonight, I can’t say I blame him too much.
Akinmboni starting, and no Jeazhe in sight… welp, let us pray that no further defensive subs are needed. We got none.
And it’s not just “no defensive subs.” There are exactly 2 field players on the bench (Murrell and Fletcher). Yikes! We need us some bodies, some late game bodies at the minimum.
This is Martin Rodriguez erasure, and that’s Lesesne’s job
Bakrar looks exactly like a young Santino Quaranta.
Formation roles pretty confused early on. Long night, probably
The formation announced definitely isn’t what we’re doing, but do the players understand the real plan?
Own goal almost scored for the other team. Knew we shouldn’t have waived him… 😉
Santos getting beat, and leading to a counterattack goal… if only that was my entire bingo card
The white lines on the field are really sketchy.
Yeah lines are hard to see.
This is the type of game that, as a fan, you don’t measure in minutes, but in shoulder tension
I’d joke that “we need a goalie sub?? We have those!!!” But I really don’t want Bono out
Akinmboni’s got a long throw? Nice!
How did Benteke MISS?! His head is huge, he’s gotta direct that better
And great, curling chip cross from Stroud, ugh!!
Pirani must be taking set piece lessons from Santos. That stunk!
Well, at least the ref is letting some of these 50/50s be just that. Too many refs are calling contact and incidental jostling as fouls on us
Given the available players, not a terrible first half. Benteke should have made it 1-1 but I don’t blame him that much. It’s hard when he’s putting in that much off the ball work and he only gets a couple good chances a game. (Just imagine if we had Gressel instead of Stroud….)
Pirani has shown some decent linkup play as well. Either him or Dajome need to be getting more shots off, but they’re at least putting in the work.
How is that a yellow on Bartlett?
Akinmboni absolutely blasted that into one of our CB’s nuts, doing long term damage
Damn, had Pirani found someone on that break, that’s game on
Gotta ask, is Bakrar just a time traveling Quaranta, trying to keep us in this game?
Maybe not. Really distraught on the bench
Fletcher on for Akinmboni. Time to play the “guess our formation” game
I don’t see us scoring.
Well, it was pretty ridiculous we hadn’t conceded another up to now, but that does suck
Think Fletcher needs tenacity training.
I think it’s illustrative to rewind back to the beginning of the season. Had we known that Birnbaum and Canouse just wouldn’t play, and have no clear path to returning, I think we all would have given a defeated groan, and maybe not invested much in watching. This team has spirit, and with another offseason, I think we can really begin. This just is barren soil to work with for now.
I mean, I don’t know how surprised I would be. Both of them have been pretty injury prone the last couple of seasons.
Now, Jeahze only playing one minute and Rodriguez at less than 90 at this point (while being mostly healthy through nine games) then I’d be more concerned.
Dave Kasper needs to be fired. Tonight.
Also, every single baseball stadium in New York needs to be burned down.
First, I think we just saw how critical Klich is to this team–his work, his leadership, how he provides critical ball-winning, ball-possession, and defensive versatility. We looked ugly out there–really over-matched.
Second, we need to bring in a body or two (or three) even if it’s not a long-term commitment. Lesesne is playing 5 card hold ’em and is only being dealt 3 cards.
It may not have made any difference, but Lesesne did start with the wrong formation. Every time we have used 3 backs, the team has been torched.
Teams have also been figuring out how to play against the new DC United. they stay compact and try to pass out and hit some longer passes. Clearly, adjustments need to be made in when and how to do the press. You can’t do it the whole game at the same level.
The team is really thin and I think that the comments above on adding players is correct. They really need a third designated player, which may have to wait until they deal with Jeahze (should they just buy out his contract?).
We have three. Peltola, Klich, Benteke.
You are probably right.
For some reason, Peltola is not listed on the DCU site as a designated player, but he probably is one. At his signing, both Goff and DC United reported he was a young designated player.
F&ck playing on a billiard table. It’s like playing baseball at the LA Coliseum. Good through balls go to the keeper and shitty dinks that normally get intercepted become killer through balls. You can’t turn, you can’t recycle the ball, you can’t run down the flank because there is no room. NYCFC plays shitty hospital balls down the flank that become a break because the field is so small that they can run them down before a defender can get there.
I am glad nobody got injured. I can’t even be mad at that loss as DC United fought hard being short so many guys on a billiard table with bad footing. At least Pirani played the best game we’ve seen so far. Not good enough to start yet but definitely a step in the right direction. He is young and he was signed for potential.
Worst home field in the league.
This^^^^
We simply don’t win on these pathetic baseball fields