DC United vs. Toronto FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

D.C. United vs. Toronto FC
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 34
Audi Field — Washington D.C.
October 17 - 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: TSN2, ESPN+

It has taken almost the entire season, but D.C. United are finally above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference and hope to extend a one-point lead over the Montreal impact with another win at Audi Field Wednesday night against a Toronto FC side that is just playing for pride.

D.C. United are coming off a dramatic 1-0 win over FC Dallas on Saturday, their third straight win and seventh consecutive game without defeat. Toronto FC have been idle since a devastating 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps at BMO Field on Oct. 6 that eliminated the Reds from playoff contention.

This is the second meeting this season with the Eastern Conference foes playing to a wild 4-4 draw at BMO Field in June. The visitors stormed to a three-goal halftime edge on early goals by Yamil Asad and Paul Arriola and one just before the break by Darren Mattocks. TFC leveled on goals by Jonathan Osorio, Victor Vazquez and Nick Hagglund, who had his brace in stoppage time to cancel out Asad’s second goal two minutes earlier.

D.C. United

D.C. United (12-11-8) finally climbed above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference with a 1-0 win over Western Conference-leading FC Dallas Saturday.

Russell Canouse scored the late winner, collecting the rebound of his initial shot off the woodwork following a Wayne Rooney free kick from the D.C. United bench and bravely heading the ball inside the far post in the 86th minute. It was a goal he dedicated to close friend Arriola, who was back in his native California following his father’s death.

“It was a special moment for me,” Canouse said. “That goal was for [Paul]. I know from personal experience that losing a parent is not easy, and I know I can support him through this time."

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Russell Canouse
International duty: M - Junior Moreno, M - Ulises Segura
Injury Report: OUT: D - Taylor Kemp (labrum surgery), GK - David Ousted (elbow surgery), D - Chris Odoi-Atsem (fatigue), D - Vytas (hip injury), D - Oniel Fisher (knee surgery); QUESTIONABLE: Kofi Opare (hip injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Bill Hamid — Nick DeLeon, Frederic Brillant, Steve Birnbaum, Joseph Mora — Russell Canouse, Chris Durkin — Zoltan Stieber, Luciano Acosta, Yamil Asad — Wayne Rooney

Toronto FC

After flirting with comebacks all season, Toronto FC (9-16-6) were dealt a death knell at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps, falling 2-1 on Oct. 6, a defeat that eliminated them from playoff contention.

Jozy Altidore leveled from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute, canceling out Russell Teibert’s fourth-minute goal. Kei Kamara sealed TFC’s fate five minutes later with an open tap-in.

“We play D.C. [United], a team fighting for the playoffs, we’re not going to roll over for them. Then we play our rivals, Montreal [Impact],” Greg Vanney said. “And then we play an Atlanta [United], which is always a fun game and they're playing for 69 points. These are meaningful games for us.”

Suspended: D - Gregory van der Wiel
Suspended after next caution: M - Michael Bradley, F - Jozy Altidore
International duty: D - Ashtone Morgan, M - Jay Chapman, M - Jonathan Osorio, F - Tosaint Ricketts, M - Michael Bradley, M - Marky Delgado
Injury Report: OUT: M - Victor Vazquez (knee surgery)

Projected Starting XI
(5-3-2, right to left)
GK: Alex Bono — Auro, Eriq Zavaleta, Drew Moor, Chris Mavinga, Justin Morrow — Lucas Janson, Liam Fraser, Ryan Telfer — Ayo Akinola, Jordan Hamilton

All-Time Series

Overall: D.C. United 13 wins, 49 goals … Toronto FC 10 wins, 42 goals … 6 draws
At D.C.: D.C. United 5 wins, 29 goals … Toronto FC 4 wins, 21 goals … 4 draws
Last meeting at D.C.: D.C. United 1, Toronto FC 1 (August 5, 2017)