After faltering down the stretch in 2015, D.C. United has bolstered its attack with the likes of Luciano Acosta, Marcelo Sarvas, Lamar Neagle and Patrick Nyarko.
Two winning seasons, two early playoff exits. D.C. United may have finished first in the Eastern Conference in 2014 and held the same position through mid-August last season, but the nation's capital still hasn't seen a playoff series win since 2012.
After going 2-6-1 down the stretch last season, United triumphed over New England in the knockout round but fell 2-0 on aggregate to the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference semifinals.