D.C. United returns to Audi Field to face Austin FC after a winless streak on the road. The Black-and-Red look to snap back to form and move up the Eastern Conference standings by besting Austin FC, who rank 8th in the Western Conference.
Thankfully, the Black-and-Red have the manpower to square off with Austin. “Our squad is as healthy as it’s been in a while,” interim head coach Kevin Flanagan told the media. “And we’re hopeful all these things lead to top performance on Saturday.”
The Verde & Black isn’t so lucky on the injury front. Leading goal scorer Brandon Vazquez is out for the remainder of the season with an ACL injury. However, even with Vazquez absent, the Verde & Black have been in good form, unbeaten in their last three matches. They also advanced to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals with a shootout win over San Jose Earthquakes.
Despite the recent difficult run, D.C. is remaining positive. Flanagan said, “There’s a locker room full of competitors… The belief is there. We just need those things to turn into results.”
Off the pitch, fans will also have a lot to look forward to this evening. The Black-and-Red will don the Archive Kit for the first time at home. The club will also celebrate Legacy Night, honoring Jaime Moreno, Marco Etcheverry, Luciano Emilio, John Harkes, and Steven Birnbaum.
Hear everything Kevin Flanagan had to say at the pre-game press conference here.
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
Star striker Christian Benteke has returned after a lengthy absence due to injury. The Black-and-Red will look to their danger man to seal the deal and help snag all three points at home. Benteke came up big for D.C. during the July 16 match against Charlotte, where he scored his 7th goal of the season in the 48’.
Watch Out For: Osman Bukari and Owen Wolff,
It’s next man up for Austin FC as the club’s leading goal scorer, Brandon Vazquez, is out with a season-ending ACL injury. Bukari and Wolff will have to pick up the slack to bolster Austin’s attack.
Challenges: D.C. needs to claw its way out of the Eastern Conference basement, and fast, if there is any hope of securing a playoff berth.
Previously: When D.C. faced off with Austin back in October 2023, the Black-and-Red suffered a 3-0 defeat on the road
D.C. United Availability:
Out: Kristian Fletcher (knee)
Questionable: Lukas MacNaughton (thigh)
Austin FC Availability:
Out: Brandon Vazquez (knee)
Questionable: None
Location: Audi Field, Washington, DC
Kickoff time: 7:30 pm ET
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
Available streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Radio: 1190 iHeart Sports DC, 101.1 HD2, and the iHeartRadio App (Dave Johnson and Bruce Murray)
DC Lineup: Barraza; Dodson, Bartlett, Rowles, Schnegg; Peltola, Servania; Leal, Pirani, Peglow; Benteke.
Austin is definitely first to second balls tonight so far and that’s a problem.
Former DCU man Hines-Ike gets the start for Austin tonight.
Well that goal was coming and the assist for the former DCU player Brendan Hines-Ike.
Dodson is getting roasted on the right side repeatedly despite his speed.
How many more goals are we going to give up tonight?
Why’d we let Hines-Ike go again?
Stupidity
I don’t blame anyone else for not being on the thread with how crap the team is.
Oh don’t worry, I’m here suffering with you
0.00 xG for Benteke in the 40th minute. Not great!
Yeah…
Leal just got beat hard on that goal.
2-0 now. But we’re checking for a foul in the buildup
Darth Garber says no PK…so there won’t be a VAR of that.
Oh a drop ball for Austin….stopping a DCU attack.
Yeah that was annoying. I feel like that sort of thing needs to be an indirect free kick or something
Rules say if it happens in the box then its uncontested drop ball for the goalie if its not a foul.
Oh yeah I know, it just seems unfair. Austin should have at least just booted it down the field back to DC
And the team is booed off the field.
We are lucky not to be down at least 4-0 at this point.
Enow for Servania
Huh…we scored…I keep forgetting that’s possible.
Wow we did something! Yay Peglow!
Great recovery from Peltola there to help prevent a 3rd
That was one of the best place Paco that has made in the D.C. United uniform
Sorry for the weird autocorrect there. I was trying to say that was one of the best plays Peltola has made in the D.C. United uniform.
Austin regained control.
And there’s Austin’s 3rd. That’s the game.
3-2, solid goal from Pirani
Offside on VAR.
Pirani pulls one back….but that might be offside on Benteke.
Yup that goal is coming off the board.
One VAR monitor is down…didn’t know that if monitors are down that the ref has to take VAR’s decision.
Darth Garber strikes via the VAR.
Hopkins and Stroud on, Peltola and Leal off.
There’s a palpable sense of defeat and inevitability in the stands, at least around me. Also lots and lots of anger at the ref.
(Which, I don’t think this is the best reffed game, and I think the sideline ref in front of us, on the TV side, has had a pretty bad game, but I also don’t think this team gets to lay its issues at the feet of any refs.)
Refs are not relevant. This franchise is even less so.
Also, I want Pirani to take lessons from Gift Monday on pressuring keepers.
I think this is the first game where the “Sell the Team” chant has really taken off in the stands.
Its also floating around different social media platforms as well.
Can we give Kim (Joon?) a run in goal again? It can’t hurt at this point
Or hell give Farr a shot.
Let’s put 2 goalies out there. Let’s get real crazy
Benteke draws a penalty in the 95’…not that its gonna matter.
Benteke puts it away.
Truly half-assed effort and crap defending by Stroud leading to Austin’s 4th
I suppose I could write the same about other defenders on the other three goals too
Peltola opened the passing lane for the assist on the first goal. I think thats more egregious.
I might add that I’m pretty sure Stroud would agree with me
According to Jason Anderson, Klich was in attendance at tonight’s game
I’d be actively angry if they brought him back. He’s old, he won’t actually move any needles on this squad, and it would be such a sickening statement from management, “We don’t have any ideas at all, we can’t recruit anyone who would put the team on an upward trajectory, but this is a sunk cost for us so you should cheer our idiotic mistakes for the rest of the season.”
I mean, did he get a green card in the interim?
I don’t think so. According to the roster Box files (which seem pretty accurate), he counted as an international player for Atlanta, and a Google search doesn’t turn anything up.
I’d still be fine with Klich coming back. We’ve been paying him all season. We have two open international slots with green cards for Schnegg and MacNaughton. If he’s a sunk cost, why not give him minutes? Somebody’s got to play against the Ethiopian national team. Cut him free at the end of the year, and use his DP slot to bring in… five DPs like Miami does?
Six DPs. You think small. 🙂
Can we replace Bartlett with Hines-Ike?
Wild that they cast off McVey and kept Bartlett. Colossal fail from…the analytics guys?
Iirc he was 2nd only to Benteke in won headers last season…
Epic fail
Nothing to add that has not already been covered. Ppl in the stands would I think have been happy with a good effort and an opportunity to cheer for something, but the defensive coverage was so, so bad team-wide, all you could do was sit and stare.
After watching this, Weiler may want to have a work permitting bureaucratic “accident”.
The Legacy marketing ploy seems ill timed. What can I say to Jaime other than “We miss you”.
Legacy marketing was as cynical as a Stalinist slogan.
I watched this depressing match in the worst possible circumstances: on my iPhone lying flat on my back in GWU Hospital ICU for seventh straight day after breaking both hips in fall in our bedroom no less. My Buzzard Point going is over for rest of DCU and Spirit seasons.
Good Lord, sir. That’s a rather extreme solution to the “what to do as a DCU fan right now” conundrum… here the rest of us are wringing hands over whether to renew tix and what’s an appropriate protest, while only you have gone and taken decisive action. O.O
That’s a nasty and super-frustrating misfortune. I sincerely hope your recovery is as smooth as possible under the circumstances! What is the docs’ estimate for time to full health?
May I second and wish you a speedy recovery
In my prayers, David.
Bry
Was just looking through the thread, holy moly, hope you have a smooth and linear recovery, that’s incredibly rough.
Buzzard Point will miss its Mayor’s presence, but all wishes for a speedy recovery, Dave.
My goodness — we’re all deeply sorry that this happened, and I’m sure we all wish the speediest recovery possible.