Charlotte FC vs. D.C. United: Preview, time, and how to watch
D.C. United returns to MLS action after the international break with an away match against Charlotte FC. The Black-and-Red will be searching for results in the Queen City as the season continues and points become more dear.
The Black-and-Red sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, just out of playoff contention, while Charlotte ranks a comfortable 6th. D.C. has struggled with a spate of injuries, limiting player availability and contributing to overall fatigue. “You know, we have a thin roster this year, and I think that’s something everyone can recognize,” said head coach Troy Lesesne in a pre-game press conference.
Charlotte FC heads into the match with D.C. off a 3-2 win over Atlanta United before the international break. However, this season, the Queen City side has had their share of inconsistency. Prior to their win in Atlanta, they had only won three of eight matches.
The Black-and-Red are keeping all their focus on their performance. Troy Lesesne said, “we have a task at hand and a capable group to go and get the job done.”
Hear everything head coach Troy Lesesne had to say at the pre-game press conference here.
Let us know your thoughts on tonight’s match in the comments!
Key Player: Christian Benteke
Second in the running for the Golden Boot race, Belgian striker Benteke has been a game-changer for D.C. United this season. Despite his exceptional performances, the Black-and-Red have been struggling to find three points. D.C. supporters will be hopeful that Benteke contributes to a win on the road this evening.
Watch Out For: Liel Abada
Leil Abada’s brace put Charlotte over the top against Atlanta and home fans will hope to see a repeat performance against D.C. United. The former Celtic FC striker joined Charlotte FC this season as a designated player.
Challenges: D.C. United’s injury list is growing, reducing Troy Lesesne’s roster choices. Adding to the strain, veteran defender Steve Birnbaum was injured in the match with Toronto FC and may not return to play for some time to come.
Previously: The Black-and-Red played to a scoreless draw their last time out in the Queen City. Tonight, D.C. will hope for all three points.
Charlotte FC Availability:
Out: None
Questionable: None
D.C. United Availability:
Out: Conner Antley (knee), Steven Birnbaum (knee), Russell Canouse (not due to injury), Jackson Hopkins (back), Christopher McVey (knee)
Questionable: None
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.
Kickoff time: 7:30 pm ET
Referee: Sergii Boiko
Available streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Lineup: ruh roh…
Mainly looking at Santos and Dajome as our wingbacks, most likely. That’s not a lot of defensive solidity on the wings, especially if they get forward
According to Goff, Pirani is not on the squad tonight because he’s in Brazil finalizing his green card. That’s gotta be the fastest green card for a DC player in…ever?
Great timing for it. Might even keep him in the mix for next season…
Let’s hope he gets it quickly and returns. Timing isn’t great 🙃
Yeah, we just had two whole weeks off, Brazilian State Department! Come on!
That would free up an int’l slot.
We could conceivably bring in a U-22 player other than Griffin Yow!
Akinmboni has a throw…
Ooof. Akinmboni struggling. That’s ticking time bomb today as Matai played a lot for the USNYT over 2 gams in the last week.
Good thing we don’t have three games in a week this week.
…what’s that?
Welp, we might actually have to score a goal now. Who knew?
1-0 Carolina
At least we actually have some fairly good offensive options on the bench.
For a second I thought you wrote “defensive options,” and oh, how I laughed.
But yeah, Ted, Fletcher, and to some extent Rodriguez could help, but we’ll see
Counting Herrera as an offensive option, but he’s probably better defensively than Dajome too.
We’ll see if he sees the field, might well be a bluff
DC has a problem seeing out halves, you say?
It was a pretty clever move by Vargas. He started by the goal line, then sprinted back past Tubbs and made a nice header while the rookie was kind of confused about where the threat was.
well. That was some bullspit.
Can’t watch the game tonight but the bench/squad is scary thin.
Also, four of four Charlotte fouls have been by Bronico according to the game cast. How is that not persistent infringement?
Hard to argue with the halftime score line. Charlotte had 2 clear chances they wasted but get one on a corner. DC had some possession but nothing close to threatening. Looking forward to getting Schnegg in to have shore up that left side.
As frustrating at Ku was to watch prior to the international break, and as someone who called for his benching, Murrell is useless playing next to or under Benteke.
I don’t know about useless, if we could get the ball forward and in the air, two targets could be good. But I definitely haven’t seen a ton of sophistication from his feet unless he’s hammering a shot
He might be more effective if Herrera were in there to provide service. He’s sorely missed tonight. This team hasn’t been the best at buildup play this season and Murrell doesn’t seem to bring much to that part of the game.
So how many more goals are we giving up? Because out attack ain’t going anywhere tonight.
Normally I’d joke about consulting the bones, but might instead consult the muscles- even with a two week break, think we’re looking ragged
And Santos crumbles
How has Bronico not gotten a yellow yet? Isn’t that is 5th or 6th foul?
Not even a warning either.
Darth Garber says if DC does it it’s a card, but if it’s done to DC then it’s not.
Calf…or Achilles injury for Santos?
Maybe Dark Arts from Santos to adjust momentum
He was grabbing down towards the ankle, my guess is something Achilles.
Santos doesn’t want to be taken out.
He’s wagging is finger at Lesesne and gesturing as if it was an outlandish decision to sub him out. Looked like he blew out his ankle but seems fine now.
I’m suspecting that he wanted to change the flow of the game, and did some… generous embellishment
Ugh, wish Stroud was more clinical there, wide open with an angle to the far post
Stroud blows DC’s best chance of the night so far.
Think Herrera on the bench is a bluff from the coaching staff. Think we would have seen him for Santos by now if he was actually able to play
Weird offside call calling back that Stroud shot. Was most certainly level
Doesn’t matter unless it goes in and goes to VAR.
We would have gotten a corner, and we do have Benteke and three CB’s 🤷♂️
With the service tonight I don’t think it’d matter.
Rodriguez for Akinmboni…are we going to a 4 back or is Peltola dropping back?
Back 4 it looks like. Might as well.
Rodriguez on for Akinmboni. Time once again to “guess-that-shape!!!”
Let’s see if anyone is directed to play centrally other than Klich and Peltola
Rodriguez looks to be playing CAM as we go to a 4-2-3-1
Dajome’s 2nd or 3rd foul is carded, but Bronico has 5 and is yet uncarded.
It was cynical and late
I’d argue Bronico’s foul on Santos (from behind while breaking) was just as bad. Both are yellows.
Ted coming in for Peltola, leads to shape confusion and a dangerous opportunity for Carolina immediately
Look to be playing a 4-1-5
With Rodriguez the only player in the middle… bold
Worth pointing out we are not creating a ton in the first game we’ve played without Herrera, and that’s not an accident
Cross and pray isn’t doing anything.
7 minutes to get a goal… what, must we hold a candle to our shames?!?
Instead of betting on how many goals we’d concede, how many minutes do you think we could play tonight without scoring? Cuz looks like we’re going 90+6+7ish
Or just to next goal in general
Yup we aren’t scoring tonight.
Great service from Santos. Bartlett was getting pulled, but few, if any, refs will call that.
It should have been called.
Agreed, but I’m not shocked it wasn’t called. This crew let a lot go today. Which
Im pretty okay with.
Our xG cannot have been high.
At this point I just feel bad for the team as a whole. Undermanned, only one true fullback on the roster, and just game after game. As much flack as I’ve given Lesesne, no coach of any quality would be expected to succeed with the current team.
OK, let me float this question one more time- does Lesesne’s system actually lead to enough chances and therefore goals, regardless of personnel?
I’m like 87% in the “No” region right now. Wondering if Mackay will wield the axe.
I’ve been a Lesesne critic lately, but this team is depleted and just doesn’t have the quality right now. Sure he could and probably should be doing something but what would the options be? Without Herrera partnering with Stroud to create crosses from the right this team doesn’t seem to have much going.
That being said, I was impressed with the fluidity and pace that Rodriguez, Fletcher, and Ku played with once they came on, albeit against a bunkering Charlotte.
I’m talking about the whole season.
What game exactly did we generate and finish commensurate with the effort expended? The balance has always been way, way off
Gotcha. This team looked outright deadly in the first 5 games or so. What exactly changed? No idea. Personally, I’m leaning towards giving Lesesne 2 seasons. Get more players in that fit the vision. DC needs consistency to actually build something. That was something we thought we had in Losada and Rushton. I’m slightly more optimistic about Lesesne and Mackay. That’s mostly blind optimism but what else do I have right now? :’)
Lastly I 100% agree with the balance. DC has no real organization or shape without the ball and even less so on the counter. That worries me more than the lack of attack, personally. It’s just such a simple and important thing to install that it’s frustrating to not see. You don’t want your professionals out there panicking when they need to defend for 5 minutes straight.
In what game did we have 4-5 attacking players of starting MLS quality?
Going after Lesesne at this point is utterly bizarre to me. He may not be the answer in the end but this squad is so, so far below being a competitive MLS side, the fact that it’s been in as many games as it has been and is somehow not completely buried in the East yet should be viewed as a positive sign for what Lesesne might be able to do with a real team.
We haven’t generated and finished commensurate with effort because we simply don’t have more than maybe two players who are reliably capable of it.
Our xG is some of the highest in the league. Like 2nd overall heading into today (where it probably took a nosedive). I’m much more worried about personnel than system.
I think his system does lead to good chances and goals, but it’s been a couple of months since we’ve been able to see that system. I don’t think three at the back is his preferred system but he’s been forced to go to it due to the lack of healthy outside backs. Let’s wait and see how it looks when he’s got closer to his preferred lineup out there.
One thing that has been hurting is the last couple weeks is losing McVey. Defensively Tubbs/Matai aren’t that far begun him but McVey has a much better passing range that helps open up the field more.
We also desperately need our Center Mids to provide more goal threat. Hopefully Pirani comes good but if he can’t then Klich/Hopkins/Rodriguez need to be more effective around the box.
Once I started look at the team the first time you raised this, it’s pretty apparent the plan does not match our talent pool. I am still in the wait and see camp, as I prefer to support a team that can’t execute the plan than a team with no plan. Apart from a Bono to Benteke Route One that worked earlier this season.