DC United vs. FC Dallas: Preview, time, and how to watch
DC United is back at Audi Field. They return home this evening to take on FC Dallas as they seek to get their third win of the season and continue the progress they’ve built through the first month.
On the injury front, the Black-and-Red received some good news earlier this week when head coach René Weiler said that forward Louis Munteanu and defender Aaron Herrera had returned to full training after picking up injuries in the early part of the season. “They are at least the options for the bench,” Weiler said during media availability this week. “Maybe not ready to start the game, but the squad is more complete because both of them are back.”
DC United wants to bring energy in front of the home fans in their first match at Audi Field since the opening match on February 21st. “It doesn’t mean automatically that we will win this game, but it’s more comfortable to prepare a home game…and I like to play at Audi Field,” Weiler said. Weiler had been critical of the schedule forcing his club on the road for much of the first 6 weeks of the season, but now that the team is back home, they can play with even more energy.
“It’s really just making sure that we’re taking accountability and responsibility for ourselves and our own performances,” goalkeeper Sean Johnson said to the press this week. “Because if we have a full roster of players that at any point in time can step on the field and bring that same mentality…a different dynamic, different abilities…ultimately, when we do that together as a group, I think you’ll start to see us continue to achieve good results.”
It’s the first time in two seasons that the Black-and-Red have faced off against FC Dallas. Currently sixth in the Eastern Conference table, DC United hopes to continue to establish themselves as a playoff contender with a win tonight.
DC United vs. FC Dallas
Location: Audi Field
Kickoff time: 7:30pm ET
Available streaming: Apple TV
Rowles is listed as Out on the injury report, specially for “Not due to injury.” I’d guess that he’s either recovering from jet lag after having been in Australia, or maybe he’s working on a green card while there. One can hope!
Looks to be the usual lineup for DC, but with Nealis replacing Rowles. Herrera and Louis both on the bench
Pirani is currently at RM and Hopkins is playing the usual Pirani role
Nifty link-up between Pirani, Peglow, and Baribo, but Baribo’s shot gets saved
Goal Dallas. Dallas attacker got it around Johnson and Neallis couldn’t quite get to the net in time
FCD pressure finally got to the defense.
Seems to be a bit of unfamiliarity between Bartlett and Neallis
At least their Norris isn’t Chuck Norris.
Hopkins and Pirani have seemingly swapped back to their normal positions
Dangerous header from Bartlett gets saved, Servania blasts it at the goalie on the following corner
Bartlett picks up a yellow
Dallas scores off the free kick
Frustrating on many levels not least because I thought it was an 8 o’clock start, and missed the first 25 minutes…. And also because of the poor refereeing that has compounded ever since he missed that slide chop to Peglow’s pegs. But that free kick. Frustrating because Johnson played it terribly, making it look easy for Dallas, but also because there is nobody on DC United that can make that shot.
Dallas up 2-0 at the half. Some promise from dc, but gonna be tough to come back now
Fireworks…for some reason
Neallis lands awkwardly on his shoulder/wrist, needs extended medical attention, and comes out. At least Louis and Herrera are coming on
AnAaron Herrera sighting!
With almost an immediate impact
Baribo coming out holding his groin…
Yeah hopefully it’s nothing serious
Oh look we gave up another set piece goal…we seem to be weak on set piece defense and offense.
3rd goal — all set up because Kurokawa didn’t follow clear direction to get wide and cover the player on the wing as Dallas broke down the field. Led to the corner kick (surrendered by sliding Bartlett covering for Kurokawa whi was eaten alive by letting the man run at him) which led to the goal
This is basically our level, notwithstanding some good early results. Not going to be competitive if the team can’t complete passes and score.
4-0 now. Could easily be 6-0 or 7-0, or even 8-0, if Dallas was a little more precise with their shots. As bad a half as I have ever seen DC play defensively, and they were no great shakes in attack either.
And there’s #4
Guess the Caps took all the goal scoring today as they are up 6-2…and we give up a 4th…this is by far our worst performance of the year.
Well we’ve regressed to the mean of the last 2 years.
The first half was decent, but we’re too thin to keep it up for 90, and Sean Johnson having what I sincerely hope will be his worst ever game in a DC jersey brought us to the point of collapse. Still too many holes for us to stay near .500… Pirani isn’t going to make it, Johnson is showing his age, the center backs are willing but still basically just a bunch of guys at this level, and we’ve noted many times over that a serious team has Servania as a prominent bench option instead of an everyday starter. Only Peltola, Hefti, Hopkins, and Baribo bringing enough to the table from a “we’d like to make the playoffs someday” perspective, IMO. 🙁
I see Weiler has just stated the obvious in the post match presser, namely that some guys outright quit on the game in the last 20 minutes. So, yeah. Needs as many changes in the summer as we had over the winter.
Johnson is slow and unsteady — but he was utterly exposed by a weak central defense after Nealis left and Hefti slid into the center. As I noted during the game, Kurokawa also seemed to think he needed to stay centrally instead of defending the wing, but that only left the defense more exposed on the 3rd goal. But, Dallas had so many chances in that last half hour. Shambolic.