D.C. United will be looking to build on two straight road wins tonight as they return home to host the Columbus Crew at Audi Field. Just as their season appeared disconnected from the broader MLS playoff picture, United has picked up seven points from three games, and in no time at all they’ve joined the race for the final postseason spots in the East. That said, maintaining their slim playoff hopes will be difficult, as the Crew are a cut above the struggling Eastern Conference foes the Black-and-Red have knocked off of late.
Key player: Edison Flores
United is inching closer to unlocking what Flores can do, but at a certain point he’s got to also produce the sort of big play that is less about the Black-and-Red combining with him and more about being the kind of player whose resume merited a huge transfer fee to come here.