After losing six straight on the road, DC United are hoping their sluggish ways change as the New England Revolution travel to RFK Stadium tonight at 7:30pm. The key: maximize the opportunities and that is just what Dwayne De Rosario and company do. However, with De Rosario suffering a knee injury which could possibly place him out of the lineup for the remainder of the season, DC United will be sure to have a gap to fill.
With De Rosario out of the lineup and his league total of twelve assists (good for second in the MLS) there needs to be a solid performance out of Branko Boskovic and Andy Najar to provide service into the box. With their MLS playoff hopes on the line, United will need a much more proficient attack with the likes of Nick DeLeon and Perry Kitchen supplying crosses to Chris Pontius and Maicon Santos. The always reliable Brandon McDonald and Daniel Woolard will be counted on to stop the scoring of Diego Fagundez and Lee Nguyen of New England, as well as keep a keen eye on Benny Feilhaber orchestrating the counter-attack. However, if Pontius, Santos, and Salihi can capitalize and make the most of their opportunities and finish on the Rev’s top performer and goalkeeper, Matt Reis; playoff contention will surely be in sight.
DC vs New England looks to be a real thriller. Let’s only hope that our backs play sound defense for the full ninety minutes and a clean sheet is clearly possible. With a home win tonight this would place DC as far as third in the Eastern Conference. Olsen’s Army should be in full force with an influx of supporters as well. Although New England are currently sitting at 25 points and a measly 9th place in the East does not mean this will be an easy match for DC. The last time these two teams met was back on May 26th when DC came out on top 3-2 with Maicon Santos saving the day. United players and supporters understand the implications that come with this game, a win at home is a must. Another must, is a quick recovery for DeRo because all United fans know that he is a key maestro who links the midfield to the attack.
As a side note: Don’t forget you college soccer enthusiasts out there, September 15th is college night at RFK Stadium with tickets as low as $20. Go support DC United! Make sure to look for my reviews and match analysis to follow tonights game as DC United continue to search for a playoff bid.
(image courtesy of Getty Images)
