DC United vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

DC United vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 20
Audi Field — Washington D.C.
July 14 - 8 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 1, ESPN+

At long last, Audi Field is open for business and D.C. United is hoping their sparkling new home will be the fortress needed to make a second-half playoff run.

No team has played fewer games than D.C. United, with 12 of their 14 games played away from home, including a 2-2 draw with the LA Galaxy on the Fourth of July, their third draw in a five-match winless streak.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC would like to spoil the party and come to D.C. off a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Fire that came on the heels of consecutive losses.

DC United

It’s been a long time coming, but the day D.C. United staff, players and especially fans have been waiting for is finally here. Audi Field’s grand opening was Monday afternoon with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. But it truly opens Saturday night.

And, oh yeah, Wayne Rooney is set to make his debut.

“Today’s the day we’ve been waiting for,” said club co-owner and managing partner Jason Levien. “A landmark day in a landmark year for D.C. sports. It’s difficult to overstate the magnitude of what today represents.”

D.C. United (2-7-5) rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie the Galaxy, 2-2, at StubHub Center last Wednesday. Zoltan Stieber responded a minute after Chris Pontius doubled the LA lead and Darren Mattocks struck for the dramatic equalizer five minutes from full time.

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Taylor Kemp (labrum surgery), D - Chris Odoi-Atsem (compartment release surgery), M - Ulises Segura (knee injury), D - Nick DeLeon (knee injury), D - Kofi Opare (knee injury); PROBABLE: M - Paul Arriola (hip flexor injury), D - Joseph Mora (hamstring injury), M - Russell Canouse (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: David Ousted — Jalen Robinson, Frederic Brillant, Steve Birnbaum, Oniel Fisher — Chris Durkin — Zoltan Stieber, Ian Harkes, Yamil Asad, Luciano Acosta — Darren Mattocks

Vancouver Whitecaps

After being shutout in consecutive losses to the Philadelphia Union and Colorado Rapids, the Whitecaps erupted for three goals in a wild 3-2 win over Chicago Saturday at BC Place.

Kei Kamara opened the scoring with his first of two goals in the 28th minute. After Nemanja Nikolic leveled three minutes before halftime for the Fire, Jordon Mutch put Vancouver (7-7-5) back in front two minutes into the second half and Kamara completed his brace in the 72nd minute. Tony Tchani made things interesting when he pulled Chicago within a goal in the 81st minute, but the ‘Caps held on to take all three points.

“I thought we played very well in certain periods of the game. I thought we missed a lot of chances again and made it difficult for ourselves in the end,” Carl Robinson said. “At 3-1 it was out of sight, the game, and we should have put it to bed, but we didn’t.”

Suspended: M - Cristian Techera
Suspended after next caution: D - Jose Aja
International duty: None
Injury Report: QUESTIONABLE: GK - Stefan Marinovic (left knee sprain), D - Kendall Waston (left groin strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Brian Rowe — Jake Nerwinski, Jose Aja, Doneil Henry, Marcel de Jong — Jordon Mutch, Felipe, Efrain Juarez, Alphonso Davies — Kei Kamara, Yordy Reyna

All-Time Series

Overall: D.C. United 4 wins, 12 goals … Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 wins, 4 goals
At D.C.: D.C. United 2 wins 8 goals … Whitecaps FC 1 win, 1 goal … 0 draws
Last meeting at D.C.: D.C. United 4, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 (April 9, 2016)