Game Preview: DC United vs. Colorado Rapids

DC United just moved into the fancy new Audi Field this month, and after winning their first game, lost to the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. They’ll be looking to rebound while the Colorado Rapids are coming off a PK win vs. Boca Juniors on Tuesday. While most of the squad we saw on Tuesday aren’t regular starters, perhaps some of them impressed Anthony Hudson enough to make it into the game today.

The good news about traveling east is that DCU is one of few teams that are actually worse than the Rapids in the standings. Their overall record is 3-9-5 (with 2 home wins) and just 14 points.

Both teams have had big signings recently, with the Rapids signing up-and-coming USMNT midfielder Kellyn Acosta and DCU signing EPL legend Wayne Rooney. Acosta started vs. Boca Juniors, while Rooney has one start in three games so far for DC.

According to Black & Red United, Rooney has been a “mixed bag”, yet it a key player in the match-up tonight:

“Against Vancouver, he made the game look like the easiest thing in the world, bagged an assist, and generally had an instant rapport with his new teammates. In Atlanta, he was totally isolated and could do little. Against the Red Bulls mid-week, he wasn’t consistently effective, but nearly all of United’s chances came with him on the field, and he probably should have won a DOGSO red card on Tim Parker. If Yamil Asad had been able to finish like normal, he gets another assist at the least.

Tonight, against a far more defensive opponent, United needs to see the Rooney that out-thought the Whitecaps. The Rapids will sit deep and look to clog the middle, but Vancouver did the same, and Rooney made it look like he had acres to play in every time he was on the ball. That movement and that ability to play one-touch soccer so well should open up Colorado on a regular basis, but the rest of the team needs to remember how to play with Rooney. The balls in behind that we saw a few too many of against the Red Bulls are not how you get the best out of United’s new captain.”

Colorado

OUT: None officially due to injury, but Shkelzen Gashi did not travel with the team this weekend.

QUESTIONABLE: F- Giles Barnes (ankle), M - Marlon Hairston (Achilles tightness), F - Jack McBean (Achilles tightness), M - Sam Nicholson (foot injury), M - Jack Price (groin injury)

The club tweeted a full injury report here.

Suspended: None

Suspended after next caution: M - Johan Blomberg

D.C.

OUT: D - Taylor Kemp (labrum surgery), D - Nick DeLeon (knee injury)

QUESTIONABLE: D - Chris Odoi-Atsem (compartment release surgery), M - Ulises Segura (knee injury)

Suspended: M - Paul Arriola

Suspended after next caution: M - Chris Durkin

How to Watch

Match Date/Time: Saturday, July 28 at 6 p.m. MT

Venue: Audi Field — Washington, D.C.

TV Information: AltitudeTV

Radio: Altitude950

Live Stream: ESPN+ (subscription required)

C38 Viewing parties: Celtic on Market (Denver), Mudrock’s Tap & Tavern (Louisville)