VS. DATE / TIME: Wednesday, June 12, 2019 7:00 PM EDT MATCH PREVIEW: MLS Match Preview VENUE: Audi Field Washington, DC Tickets GAMETIME FORECAST: Mainly clear Temp: 80° Feels Like: 79° TELEVISION BROADCAST: Stream Available: ESPN+ (according to DC United's website) CURRENT MLS STANDINGS MLS INJURY REPORT MLS DISCIPLINE REPORT LAST MEETING: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 Audi FIeld / Washington, DC DC United 0 - 2 Philadelphia Union MLS Matchcenter 2019 US Open Cup Bracket
Oddly enough I think we win this. Union have always showed well in the USOC, and DCU always seems to enter our matches, underestimating us.
I am curious too see how seriously DCU takes this game...do they start their varsity or the JV team? I think they traditionally go with the B-team in the early rounds of the USOC, but the may want to keep their senior team fit during the break for the Gold Cup. Jimbo traditionally takes these games seriously, and we won't be missing too many key pieces...mainly Blake, but I think Freese and Coronel are both up to the task.
There are a lot of possibilities for this match. It's actually kind of nice that we may get an exciting early round match, seeing as both teams have an opportunity (and desire) to field an "A" squad.
Who are the 5 international players for this match? Do they waste an international slot on Coronel or can they use a Bethlehem or Academy player as a backup GK? I think it has to be: Elliott Medunjanin Monteiro Wagner Przybylko/Santos That means that Coronel, Fabian, Mbaizo, Ngalina and either Przybylko or Santos don't get to play.
In your scenario, with Blake gone with Jamaica, who is our 2nd GK if we don't use Coronel as one of our international players? We may have to sit Elliott and use Colin as a CB, assuming he has a green card by now.
Right. That's my question. Could the team put Romero on its roster and have him as the backup? Jim said in a press conference last week that they have been planning an "American-based team" (or something like that) for USOC.
He was Blake's backup against Minnesota last weekend, so I assume that means he's fully recovered from his injury.
Yes. It's still probably our best chance for a trophy this year with the way LAFC is playing out west and how Atlanta is turning it around in the eastern conference.
Not to mention we're deeper than ever... we can field some second stringers and honestly not drop in quality that much.
McKenzie and Real probably back in time for this game... assuming they are good to go I honestly wouldn't mind seeing: Fafa - Kacper Aaronson Fontana - Bedoya Haris Real - Trusty - McKenzie - Gaddis Freese
I was originally thinking Warren... but I think he'll be out with Guyana already... think it needs to be Haris.
Aaronson and Trusty were called into U23 camp and will not be at this game unless the team forces them miss the camp which would seem unlikely. I wonder whether the Union will try as hard in the USOC this season. For a team in first place, it might be more of a distraction than anything. While they definitely want to win, I won't be that disappointed with a loss. A loss gives the team two full weeks off before they play Wed-Sat-Wed-Sat with the first three games being at NE, at NYC and at ORL before coming home to play ORL again.
Curtin always talks about the importance of the USOC and his memories of winning it as a player, plus they are 0-3 in the finals, which is a bad taste in everyone's mouth. I think they take it seriously. The issue is the lack of players because of injuries and national team call-ups.
With us finally in first place, we should prioritize the MLS Cup this year. We may be deeper than ever, but that's a low bar to set. Our forward position is still tenuous.
They don't play again for more than 2 weeks. Might as well throw out a first team look for the first two games.