D.C. United remains on the road after dismissing head coach Troy Lesesne and assistant coach Zach Prince. Tonight, the Black-and-Red will face Greg Vanney’s LA Galaxy.
After crashing out of the Open Cup with a 5-2 loss to Nashville and the sacking of its coach, 12th place D.C. United is having a rough go. The pressure remains to secure points and clinch a playoff berth, but now the team faces the added challenge of integrating a new coach, reportedly René Weiler, and a new style of play.
The Galaxy has its own woes, sitting at the very bottom of the MLS Western Conference. They are down but most certainly not out after a statement 3-0 home win against Vancouver. The Galaxy will look to extend its home win streak against the Black-and-Red tonight.
Will D.C. United prevail after yet another shakeup? We will find out during tonight’s MLS After Dark match.
Let us know your thoughts about tonight’s match in the comments below and be sure to join us live here during the game to chat with your fellow supporters.
Key Player: Christian Benteke
With the recent shakeups, the Black-and-Red will look to captain Christian Benteke more than ever for leadership. The veteran striker has been a stalwart force on the field and a pillar of stability for a D.C. side in flux.
Watch Out For: Marco Reus
The German has been key to LA’s attack, contributing to 10 goals across 15 appearances. Combining forces with Christian Ramirez, Reus comprises an LA attack that is far more dangerous than the record indicates.
Challenges: Just past midseason without a head coach, D.C. United is at risk of a lost 2025 season.
Previously: D.C. and LA last met in 2023 at Audi Field. The Black-and-Red pulled off a 3-0 home victory.
LA Galaxy Availability:
Out: Riqui Puig (knee)
Questionable: None
D.C. United Availability:
Out: Kristian Fletcher (knee)
Questionable: Lukas MacNaughton (thigh), Jacob Murrell (thigh)
Location: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA
Kickoff time: 10:30 pm ET
Referee: Timothy Ford
Available streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Radio: iHeart App, 1190 AM, 104.7 FM, 101.1 HD2 (Dave Johnson and Bruce Murray)
To paraphrase another of our illustrious members, MLS demands that we become part of the Galaxy’s redemption story. Ours can wait until next season.
I’m not sure where this falls on the hot take scale, but I feel like Benteke has been a better addition for DCU than Rooney. This isn’t meant as a knock against Rooney. Rooney had more “wow” moments like the tackle and the beyond midfield goal against Orlando, but Benteke has more subtler moments. His ability in the air and his touch are fun to watch. I think the broadcast team on Wednesday said he still leads the league in aerial duels won by a decent margin even with all the time he missed.
I mean, almost academic, but I’ll build on your point. Rooney wasn’t just Rooney, he was Lucharoo. He had a great partnership that Benteke simply never had. Heck, I don’t know if we can argue that Benteke has played with a winger as good as Arriola providing service. The only other DP Benteke has played with that was on the same talent level remotely was one who also wanted the same spaces and scoring patterns (we ended up rightly booting him into space for being virulently racist toward other players).
Benteke is not as talented as Wayne Rooney. He’ll never make the jaw dropping creative plays that Wayne could. But his remarkable mentality and dedication to serving whatever slapdash team he’s playing with? Yeah, he’s been immense.
I’m a fan of Benteke, but his first games back have been a reminder that , beyond his scores, he also has a lot of chances that he misses.
He’s also not dressed tonight.
Benteke is on the bench, so he is dressed
Missed that. Sorry.
Dc lineup: Barraza; Herrera, Bartlett, Rowles, Schnegg; Enow, Hopkins; Peglow, Kijima, Pirani; Badji
Looks like a switch to 4-2-3-1 from the 3-4-2-1 they’ve been doing recently
So how bad do we lose?
3-0
Memo to all MLS stadiums and teams: Please stop with the pregame rocket launches. No one needs all that smoke obscuring the field.
Ah, so the ref is gonna be like THAT
I was driving so I didn’t see either, were the yellows as weak as it sounded?
I was genuinely confused about the Hopkins yellow. Like I was not expecting one at all, and would not have expected one had it been the galaxy committing it either. Bartlett’s also seemed soft, but I guess it was easier to understand? Neither seemed overly yellow worthy to me at that point in the game with not many fouls yet
This is gonna be a long night with two players already in the book.
Ping pong off the corner and Galaxy have first blood.
Hey look if a DCU player had done what Reus did to Pirani it probably would’ve been a foul.
Well after a 2 hour rain delay…the US Eagles just lost to Spain 31-20….Spain jumped out to a 21-0 lead very quickly. The US fought back, but Spain’s defense just kept the US out of the try zone if not off the scoreboard in the 2nd half. First time the US has lost to Spain in Men’s rugby XVs after 5 straight wins including last November.
It’s really absurd for the announcer to refer to DC United and LA Galaxy as 2 of MLS’s most successful franchises. DC United hasn’t challenged for anything in over a decade, and they’ve been dogsh** this decade, which is more than half over.
It’s kind of funny. Wednesday we were all upset because the broadcast team was gushing about Nashville and now we’re against that today’s crew said something overly complimentary.
Don’t disagree with your point there.
Badji looks hurt. Murrell is injured. Fletcher is really injured. Benteke has a knock and is returning from an injury.
Congratulations on your loan recall, Hakim Karamoko!
We’re getting towards that “Birnbaum is third on the forward depth chart” territory from like 2017
Marvelous defending. Not only was no one paying any attention to Fagundez, no one was within 5 yards of Paintsill at the penalty spot. Bartlett got the block on his shot, but still…Shambolic. As if they’e playing a man down.
And now another brilliant play by Herrera puts Barraza in peril. He looked better in the Gold Cup, man.
Pirani wiht a shot. I am led to believe he started this match, but I don’t believe his name was even called in the first half..
I’m beginning to think that Troy Lesesne was not the only thing wrong with this team.
“beginning” (?)
Pirani pulls one back, but I think its too little too late.
DO. NOT. EXERCISE. PIRANI’S. OPTION.
I know I’m in the minority here, but i really don’t mind him staying (assuming he does not become a DP)
If Pirani is in his send-off match, he’s going to go out in a blaze of glory.
Ref let the Galaxy take forever on a throw in.
That was Pirani’s tenth goal for DC United. Obviously Christian Benteke has a lot, then Pirani. The next active player on the career scoring list for DC United is Jared Stroud. With 3.
Very nice of DC to give the Galaxy a boost in not supplanting 2013 DC United as the worst team in league history.
We scored a goal!!!
Still lost, but we scored a goal!
We looked pretty ok once we got 70 minutes in. It was just that first 70 minutes part that was the issue
I would love to know what the new coach is thinking about this performance.
I guess we will find out in due time.
Well, he will be an expert in Swiss cheese…..
He’ll understand our defense entirely and holistically……