Preview: D.C. United Faces Big Game with Playoff Implications Sunday Afternoon

Photo: D.C. United

D.C. United continues the playoff chase on Sunday afternoon against the Chicago Fire. Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. from Audi Field.

After notching a big 5-0 shutout win over the Montreal Impact to pull them within striking distance of the sixth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the black and red now face a must win game. Although it pulled them within two, the Impact defeated the Columbus Crew 3-0 on Saturday afternoon. That victory gave three points right back to Montreal which pits United down five points for the last spot in the playoffs. With just five games left, the home team cannot afford a loss.

Sunday’s game is the first of four straight at Audi Field, a home field advantage that has DCU posting a 8-2-1 record.

The Fire, although eliminated from playoff contention, are not a team D.C. United can take lightly. In their last five games. Chicago is 2-1-2 which is one of their best stretches this season. Striker Nemanja Nikolic leads the Fire with 15 goals and has scored five times in their last six matches. The Fire are coming off a 3-1 win over LAFC.

Key matchup:

Wayne Rooney vs. Bastian Schweinsteiger

Both of these players were teammates and foes overseas and Sunday afternoon will be the first time they face each other in the MLS level. Wayne Rooney began his soccer career with Everton in 2002 before starring for Manchester United. Internationally, Rooney starred for the England national team where he leads the country in goals with 53. Rooney has appeared in three World Cups and three European Championships.

Bastian Schweinsteiger has spent most of his soccer career in Germany playing for Bayern Munich where it began in 2002. Internationally, Schweinsteiger made his debut for Germany and would go on to appear in three World Cups as well as winning the championship in 2014.

These two players would later on be teammates for Manchester United in 2015. Schweinsteiger struggled and would later move to the MLS in March 2017. Rooney left Manchester United would leave that summer to return to Everton before joining D.C. United a year later.

Milestone Watch:

Luciano Acosta, who was named both the MLS Player of the Week as well as the MLS Player of the Month for September, needs one more goal to pass the 10+ goal and assist mark this season. Doing so would make Acosta the fifth player in club history to reach the 10-10 mark and the first to achieve that feat in 10 years.

Last week Acosta had three assists in the 5-0 win over the Impact. If Acosta reaches the three-assist mark once again, he would tie Marco Etcheverry’s single-season assist record of 16.

 

 

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