6:30 p.m. at D.C. United • FSN Plus, 1500-AM
Preview: While United (9-15-2, ninth in the Western conference) hasn't played since Aug. 25, D.C. (8-11-7, eighth in the East) has played four matches in that span. The other United has been streaking since signing Wayne Rooney in June, losing only four of the 12 games in which the English star has featured. D.C. has a shot at a playoff spot, five points out of the postseason. The Loons are 12 points out in the West. This will be the Loons' first trip to D.C.'s Audi Field, the latest soccer-specific stadium to open in MLS. Allianz Field is scheduled to open in St. Paul next spring.
Quotable: "It's been a really good couple of weeks for various reasons. But more importantly, I think everybody is fit and healthy, which we've got eight games left, so 24 points to play for. We're going to have to win at least five of them, I think, to have any chance. Forty-six points made it last year. That's not going to make it this year. Every games going to be crucial." – United coach Adrian Heath.
Numbers: Rooney has tallied four goals and six assists so far in his D.C. tenure.
Absences: For United, D Francisco Calvo and D Michael Boxall are suspended while M Rasmus Schuller and M Romario Ibarra are on national team duty. F Mason Toye is on loan. D Eric Miller (groin/hamstring) and M Alexi Gomez (muscle pull) are out. For D.C., M Zoltan Stieber, D Oniel Fisher, M Junior Moreno, and F Bruno Miranda are on national team duty while D Taylor Kemp (labrum), D Nick DeLeon (knee), GK David Ousted (elbow), D Chris Odoi-Atsem (fatigue) and D Vytas (hip) are out. M Yamil Asad (ankle) and D Frederic Brillant (hamstring) are questionable.
