D.C. United isn’t supposed to be here, but with a win today against the New England Revolution, they may well enter the final week of the MLS regular season in a playoff spot. Merely three weeks ago, this idea would have been laughable, but a three-game winning streak has vaulted the Black-and-Red back into contention. However, beating the Revolution — a team that they’ve been unable to beat this year in three prior attempts — will require pairing their recent persistence with more consistent play in possession.
Key player: Donovan Pines
United will enter this game short at least three projected starting defenders, and possibly all four depending on Joseph Mora’s status (we’ll get to that in a second).