DC United vs. Minnesota United FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

D.C. United vs. Minnesota United FC
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 29
Audi Field — Washington D.C.
Sept. 12 — 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Fresh off claiming four points against Eastern Conference powerhouses in consecutive games, shorthanded D.C. United take on Minnesota United FC on short rest Wednesday night in the first of seven straight games at Audi Field.

After beating Atlanta United at home, United earned a 1-1 draw against New York City FC Saturday at Yankee Stadium to move within five points of the playoff line in the East, while the Loons return from a weekend off trying to snap a five-match winless streak.

This is just the second all-time meeting, with Minnesota United prevailing, 4-0, at TCF Bank Stadium last July. Christian Ramirez, Abu Danladi and Miguel Ibarra scored for the Loons, to go along with a Jared Jeffrey own goal.

D.C. United

Only able to field 15 players due to international duty and injuries, D.C. United (8-11-7) were able to grind out a 1-1 draw against NYCFC on a rainy Saturday afternoon in the Bronx and were unlucky not to come away with their second road win of the year.

Steve Birnbaum beat Sean Johnson to a looping Wayne Rooney free kick and put the visitors in front on 58 minutes. It’s a lead that held up until the 86th minute, when David Villa leveled on a well-struck free kick.

“The soccer part wasn't great, so on these days, can you find something out of it through grit and work gradient that's the stuff that's missing,” Ben Olsen said. “That’s what I asked and that's what they gave me, so I'm very proud of the group.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Chris Durkin, M - Paul Arriola
International duty: M - Zoltan Stieber, M - Junior Moreno, F - Bruno Miranda
Injury Report: OUT: D - Taylor Kemp (labrum surgery), D - Nick DeLeon (knee injury), GK - David Ousted (elbow surgery), D - Chris Odoi-Atsem (fatigue); QUESTIONABLE: M - Yamil Asad (ankle injury), D - Frederic Brillant (hamstring injury); PROBABLE: D - Oniel Fisher (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Bill Hamid — Kevin Ellis, Kofi Opare, Steve Birnbaum, Joseph Mora — Russell Canouse, Ulises Segura — Paul Arriola, Luciano Acosta, Darren Mattocks — Wayne Rooney

Notes: Russell Canouse became the first D.C. United player with 6+ tackles, 6+ clearances and 6+ recoveries in a game since Dejan Jakovic in 2013. … D.C. United are averaging 2.2 points per home game this season (7W-2L-1D). They have averaged more than 2.0 points at home just three times between 2010-2017.

Minnesota United

Minnesota United (9-15-2) used a 17-day break between games as a chance to get players healthy and better acclimate newcomers on the training ground.

“It is a really good time for maybe five or six of the guys,” Adrian Heath said. “People have got little knocks and they can’t quite get rid of them. This gives us an opportunity so we can get them into better physical condition for the D.C. game coming.”

Making his return from a three-month absence in a 2-0 loss at Sporting Kansas City on August 25 was Jerome Thiesson, who came off the bench for a 57-minute shift after Eric Miller was forced off injured.

“I have to gain game fitness,” Thiesson said. “That is definitely a part I have to work on. I am going to do everything in practice and they are going to work with me on extra stuff as well so I will be in full shape for a full 90 minutes.”

Suspended: D - Michael Boxall, D - Francisco Calvo
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: M - Romario Ibarra, M - Rasmus Schuller
Injury Report: OUT: M - Sam Cronin (cervicogenic dysfunction), M - Kevin Molino (torn left ACL), M - Ethan Finlay (torn ACL); QUESTIONABLE: F - Darwin Quintero (calf injury), D - Eric Miller (undisclosed injury)

Projected Starting XI
(3-4-1-2, right to left)
GK: Bobby Shuttleworth — Wyatt Omsberg, Brent Kallman, Jerome Thiesson — Eric Miller, Fernando Bob, Collen Warner, Collin Martin— Ibson — Angelo Rodriguez, Darwin Quintero

Notes: Minnesota are averaging 1.6 goals per 90 in the 1,800+ minutes Darwin Quintero has played this season, and 0.7 per 90 in the 742+ minutes he has not. He missed their last two games – both shutout losses – due to injury … Minnesota United have five goals in the five games since a 5-1 win over LAFC on July 22. They are 0W-4L-1D in that time.