DC United vs. New England Revolution | 2017 MLS Match Preview

Alicia Rodriguez

D.C United vs. New England Revolution
2017 MLS Regular Season
RFK Stadium – Washington, D.C.
Saturday, Aug. 26 – 7 pm ET
WATCH: MLS LIVE

D.C. United surely hoped they would kick off their post-Secondary Transfer Window spending spree with a winning streak, something they've done, but perhaps not quite like this. United won their second game in less than a week on Wednesday, 1-0 against Atlanta United, and while newcomers Paul Arriola and Russell Canouse have looked sharp so far, each of their last two wins came on own-goal 1-0 wins.

There's no penalty for winning games via own goal, of course, and given D.C. United's status at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, they won't begrudge opposing defenders putting the ball in their own net, whether it comes from a 40-yard back pass or a deflection right in front of goal. Add to that the boost of sweeping the hyped expansion newcomers in Atlanta this season, and D.C. could continue to play the spoiler role yet this season.

United host the team right above them in the standings, the New England Revolution, on Saturday, and while they're closer to the playoff chase, sitting four points ahead of D.C. and seven points below the playoff line, there is the question of whether morale has dropped for the Revs. D.C. have left it too late to make a real playoff push this season, but the fresh faces on the roster indicate a hope for the future. The Revolution, aside from the additions of defender Claude Dielna and forward Krisztian Nemeth, have stood firm in the transfer window and may not have the same rejuvenated attitude. Still, if New England can win on the road here, they'll likely leapfrog multiple teams in the East and keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

D.C. United

Suspended: None
International duty: None
Injury report: OUT: M Rob Vincent (left knee), M Patrick Nyarko (eye); QUESTIONABLE: D Taylor Kemp (hip); PROBABLE: D Steve Birnbaum

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1, left to right): Bill Hamid – Taylor Kemp, Kofi Opare, Jalen Robinson, Chris Odoi-Atsem – Ian Harkes, Russell Canouse – Zoltan Stieber, Luciano Acosta, Paul Arriola – Deshorn Brown

Notes: United are unbeaten in their last seven games against New England, including playoffs (4W-3D). This is their longest unbeaten streak in league play against the Revolution since a 11-game streak from May 18, 1997-April 10, 1999...14 percent of all of D.C. United’s goals have come from own goals this year (3 of their 21). No other team has gotten more than 8 percent of their goals via own goals this year.

New England Revolution

Suspended: D Benjamin Angoua (Yellow Card accumulation)
International duty: None
Injury report: OUT: Kelyn Rowe (knee); M Diego Fagundez (head), M Xavier Kouassi

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1, left to right): Cody Cropper – Chris Tierney, Claude Dielna, Antonio Delamea, Andrew Farrell – Gershon Koffie, Scott Caldwell – Juan Agudelo, Lee Nguyen, Teal Bunbury – Kei Kamara

Notes: The Revolution have scored in six straight road games (3W-3L), the second time they have done so this season. They have not scored in seven consecutive away matches in league play since April 27-June 18, 2016...Since the start of July, Teal Bunbury has scored five goals, one of nine players to have scored five or more goals over that time.

All-Time Series

These teams met once earlier this season, in Gillette Stadium, ending in a 2-2 draw back in April.

Overall: D.C. 32 wins (102 goals) … New England 26 wins (86 goals) … 12 draws
At D.C.: 22 wins (66 goals) … New England 9 wins (44 goals) … 4 draws