D.C. United’s match against Charlotte marks the end of the Black and Red’s 2025 home campaign. Statistically, DCU’s home form this season has been its worst since the opening of Audi Field in 2018. Regardless of the outcome of the match, D.C. United will finish this season with the fewest home wins and fewest (or tied for the fewest) home points in the Audi Field era. (Note: This does discount 2020 due to COVID-related complications.) D.C. United hasn’t had so few home wins and points since the 2013 season, and they would need to beat Charlotte to equal the home win total from that year. Absent an offensive explosion D.C. United will have scored fewer goals than any other season at Buzzard Point by a significant margin. However, going into the match, D.C. will have a largely intact roster available for selection and a chance to send supporters into the off season on a positive note on Fan Appreciation Day.
Charlotte enters the match in a bit of a rough spot despite sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference and having booked a spot in the playoffs for the third straight year. Over their last two matches, they have fallen to NYCFC 2-0 and Montreal 4-1. Adding to their concerns, Charlotte will be short handed when the face the Black and Red as three key starters will miss the match due to suspension. Additionally, Pep Biel, a main cog in their offense, is questionable with a knee issue. Despite the missing pieces, Charlotte still has Wilfried Zaha and Idan Toklomati providing offensive firepower.
Key Player: Gabriel Pirani
By most statistics, Pirani has been the Black and Red’s second best player this year behind Christian Benteke. Pirani is second in goals scored (6) and is tied with Benteke for most assists on the team (3). He has the second highest xG on the team. If DCU is to get a result in this match, Pirani will need to find a way to contribute in the offense.
Watch Out For: Idan Toklomati
D.C. United saw how much a force Pep Biel is in Charlotte’s offense. He leads Charlotte in goal involvements. Biel didn’t play in Charlotte’s last match and is listed as questionable with a knee issue, as of this writing. Idan Toklomati provides an additional scoring punch. He leads the team with 11 goals. Looking at the metrics, Toklomati leads the team in expected goals (xG) and nonpenalty XG, ahead of Biel and Wilfried Zaha. He is second in nonpenalty xG + expected assisted goals behind Biel. Whether Biel plays or not, Toklomati will pose a challenge for DCU’s backline.
Challenges:
D.C. United: D.C. United showed regression during last week’s drubbing by the Union. The players will need to put it out their minds and focus on getting back to building on the progress they made after René Weiler’s arrival.
Charlotte FC: Three of Charlotte’s starters will be out due to suspension. Charolotte will have to integrate players to cover for players who were among the team’s leaders in minutes for the season, which could present some organizational challenges.
Previously:
D.C. United and Charlotte will meet for the third time this year in all competitions. The two teams last met in July in the Queen City. DCU fell 2-1 with Pep Biel scoring on a brace for Charlotte. Gabriel Pirani bagged DCU’s lone goal.
In May, the two teams met in the US Open Cup at Audi Field in what will forever be known (maybe?) as the Jordan Farr game. David Schnegg, Garrison Tubbs, and Jackson Hopkins all scored for the Black and Red and the game went to a shoot out tied at 3. Farr, who subbed in the final minutes of extra time, stopped four of Charlotte’s shots allowing DCU to advance to the quarterfinals.
D.C. United:
Out: Kristian Fletcher (knee), Brandon Servania (Suspended -Yellow Card Accumulation)
Questionable: David Schnegg (thigh)
Charlotte FC Availability:
Out: Brandt Bronico (Suspended -Yellow Card Accumulation), Adilson Malanda (Suspended: Red Card – DOGSO), Harry Toffolo (hamstring), Ashley Westwood (Suspended – Yellow Card Accumulation)
Questionable: Pep Biel (knee), Brandon Cambridge (hip)
Location: Audi Field, Washington, D.C.
Kickoff time: 2:30 ET
Referee: Lorenzo Hernandez
Available streaming: Apple TV+
If we are gleaning lineup insights from DCU’s social media posts, like last week, it looks like Hopkins returns to the lineup.
Lineup according to Google:
Barazza; Antley, Bartlett, Rowles, Schnegg; Pirani, Peltola, Hopkins; Herrera, Benteke, Peglow
This turns out to be correct. Of note, Kim does not make the bench. Farr is the backup goalie
Charlotte Lineup: Kahlina; Byrne, Ream, Privett, Marshall-Rutty; Diani, Williamson, Petkovic; Zaha, Toklomati, Vargas.
Pep Biel isn’t in the squad.
What’s the over/under on the ratio between official attendance and actual butts in seats? 5? 10? It’s 10 minutes to kickoff and I don’t think there are even 1,000 ppl actually seated yet.
And there’s a big Charlotte contingent here, both in the away section and sprinkled through the stands. I saw about 60/40 DCU:Charlotte gear in the concourse, and that’s not counting the parade of Charlotte supporters.
Anthem done, I’d say we’re up to 4k or so. Charlotte indeed well represented.
Goal line tech could’ve shown that a goal.
Still blows my mind that we don’t have that in the league yet
It makes too much sense….wait this isn’t just a DCU problem so I don’t know what to tell you.
Not sure if that shot off the post by Rowles is a sign of a good start or a portent of how today will go.
Barraza going off….and game is over now.
But Jordan Farr did so well last game!
We’re down a man against Charlotte for what 70 mins….only a question of time as to when we give up the first goal.
I mean after the USOC, Charlotte may be thinking “Not this guy again.” Wishful thinking I know.
We just need to keep fouling them in the box. Never let them take a normal shot, only penalties. We guarantee win that way
Bold strategy.
Herrera is gone too….this game over ladies and gents.
Well, I’m now just gonna sit here in the stands and cackle at the futility of the season
And the slaughter has begun…..
I feel like this game is a demonstration of the season. The shot off the goalpost and not into the net is the start to the season then the 2 red cards and the goal and whatever comes next is a demonstration of the rest of the season.
Hopkins in the book now with a yellow.
Zaha should’ve gotten a yellow for that. How the fuck did he not get a yellow?
You know, they’re still trying out there, which is more than we could say many times over the last few years
Zaha escapes a booking for his part in the Herrera altercation and escapes again for that foul on Peltola.
What a disgrace. I gave four club mid-field seats for free to a long time Lot 8 friend to celebrate his wife’s 50th birthday.
In a moment of ungracious smugness, I am glad I did not venture from Haymarket.
2 reds are inexcusable, especially in the first half.
The Supporters Section is at best 40% capacity.
I internally debated a chance of renewal. I’d be happy to do it for free and distribute tickets to the masses.
Just like Swansea. Ownership destroyed this club.
Let’s enjoy the Wooden Spoon.
At some point the ref has to card Zaha.
Darth Garber says no. Though he did show a card to Williamson earlier, so he can card Charlotte.
At least for the moment, we are now below the Galaxy and thus finally bottom of the league on the PPG table. We’d been hovering just above MLS’s other early glory team for several weeks.
I recommend 2 more red cards and end this game based on numbers. Save everyone’s time.
Or can we just forfeit and take a 3-0 loss?
I thought it took five reds to end a game, is it only 4? Either way, I’m ok with it. My inner chaos demon is now in the driver’s seat for the rest of the DCU season.
Back the day you couldn’t play with seven. You could with eight.
Shit Peglow is down
Stroud for Peglow and now we have 3 subs, but 1 window left.
Now Antley is down…..is this just a game where drop like flies to injuries and cards?
No drums. Supporters Section at bare minimum now.
It’s horrible watch. I long for Lot 8.
Pretty sure ownership knows what needs to happen for the drums to come back, but they’re not willing to make the commitments the supporters groups want, or engage in any negotiation.
I don’t think ownership thinks they need to negotiate with the SGs.
I don’t think they do either, which means it will continue to be terrible to watch.
And now Stroud is on a yellow…….that was so dumb
Attendance announced at 17,000.
I’d be surprised if there are 5,000 in the stadiums based on the stream.
Hilarious propaganda.
Final sub window and only using 1 sub….
Nope…Badji, Clark, and MacNaughton on.
Benteke, Bartlett, and Pirani off
Zaha finally goes into the book. He should’ve been on a yellow already and now sent off with the 2nd yellow.
Williamson into the book for Charlotte.
Zaha should be off at this point.
D.C. United officially finishes its home slate with fewer home wins (2/3), fewer home goals scored (13/16), and a greater goal differential ( -19/-13) at home than the 2013 team. (Last weeks game against Philly looms large in that last stat.) DCU had three separate spans where they were shut out in consecutive home games.
We’re a long way from Fortress RFK.
That didn’t even rise to the level of “sad”. The destruction is complete: the SGs are effectively a memory, the roster is inflexible and ineffective, the youth system is nonexistent, and the owners are disengaged and stupid. Anything positive we see in the future will need to be built from scratch.
If I were a Charlotte fan, I’d be super-disappointed in that display. They really had no idea how to exploit the advantage. If we’d fielded actual talent, we’d have clawed a draw out of that one.
If I were Rene Weiler I’d be furious at Herrera, but super pleased that DC United played with grit and discipline. Hey, we defended down two men for 75 minutes and down one for eleven more. Farr performed well and never had to make a tough save.
For next season Barraza and Farr have earned a further look but we ought to make maximum effort to ship Kim off somewhere.
This match was a moral victory.
Get Kim out of here. Terrible pick.
Herrera may be trying get moved.