Fireworks are coming to the pitch at Audi Field as D.C. United will be eager to climb the Eastern Conference table when they host FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night for a crucial midweek MLS matchup.
While the 2024 season hasn’t quite clicked into high gear yet, D.C. United have consistently shown positive flashes and moments of promise. They held the New York Red Bulls to a thrilling 2-2 draw away from home, with an early goal from Jared Stroud and a free-kick stunner from Pedro Santos, showcasing the attacking potential within the squad.
D.C. United also had two players named to the 2024 MLS All-Star roster in forward Christian Benteke and defender Aaron Herrera. Read more about the 2024 MLS All-Star roster here. That said, however, the Belgian striker and back-to-back MLS All-Star will be unavailable for selection on Wednesday night due to a suspension.
With the need for other offensive players to provide attacking output, manager Troy Lesesne found some spark last weekend, even with his squad down a man. Winger Jared Stroud provided a lovely finish inside of the first ten minutes for his second goal of the season. And then, just before halftime, Pedro Santos netted an incredible free kick that curled over the RBNY defensive wall and into the top corner of the net.
FC Cincinnati, on the other hand, are riding a long wave of momentum. Cincinnati currently sits within striking distance of the top spot in the Eastern Conference, just two points behind Inter Miami CF. Their recent 1-0 victory against Dallas was a testament to their defensive solidity and opportunistic attacking style, with Luca Orellano providing the all-important goal.
The key question for this match lies in D.C. United’s ability to translate their positive moments of brilliance into consistent results. In order to pull off an upset against one of the league’s best sides, the Black-and-Red need to leverage their home field advantage. And while the Cincinnati defense will be difficult to crack, if D.C. United can recapture their attacking form, this match could be a turning point in their season.
This pre-holiday clash promises to be a hard-fought battle between one team desperate for three points and the other one aiming to add points to their already comfortable place in the standings.
D.C. United holds the edge since FC Cincinnati came on the MLS scene in 2019, with a record of 5-4-2 (W-D-L).