We have a friendly tonight, as DC United takes to the pitch at Audi Field to welcome Bundesliga side SC Paderborn 07 to town. With the extended international break, the Black-and-Red has created an opportunity for their players to stay sharp and for others to get some playing minutes.

Paderborn is a team that was just recently promoted to the Bundesliga, finishing third in the 2. Bundesliga last season and then defeating Wolfsburg in the 2-legged Bundesliga relegation playoff to earn their place in the top flight. They currently sit 12th in the standings after the first month or so of play. It’s a rare chance to get a late season friendly for both teams, and Paderborn will likely bring their squad of guys who may not have been called in for international duty.

For DC United, it’s would normally be expected that we’ll see more of the regular first team than we did last month in the DMV Derby against Loudoun United. It’s a chance for the Black-and-Red to show some fight against a German team to hopefully propel them into the final five weeks of the season. However, those final weeks are going to be loaded. Beginning October 10th, the team will play eight matches in 28 days to try and make the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Because of that, don’t be surprised to see some little used guys get some heavy minutes tonight to give them an opportunity to play while some guys get some rest before having to compete heavily over the next month.

DC United vs. SC Paderborn 07

Location: Audi Field

Kickoff time: 7:30pm ET

Available streaming: WTTG Fox 5, FuboTV (Free Trial)