Matchday four of the 2024 MLS campaign begins with a matinee affair on Saturday between DC United and Inter Miami, who will square off at Audi Field.
Last weekend, the Black and Red hung onto a 0-0 result at FC Cincinnati, while the Herons suffered their first defeat of the regular season, losing 3-2 versus CF Montreal.
Match preview
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DC took another positive step forward in the early stages of the 2024 season, holding the 2023 Supporters' Shield winners to a 0-0 result away from home.
Troy Lesesne will be delighted by that scoreline, given how poor this team were defensively away from home a year ago, conceding multiple strikes in nine road fixtures.
A win or draw this weekend would match their longest unbeaten run in this competition from a year ago (four), while their current three-game unbeaten run is their best start to a regular season since avoiding defeat in their opening four MLS fixtures in 2019.
With a victory on Saturday, DC will have earned consecutive victories at home in this competition for the first time since early 2022 (two).
The Black and Red have points in five of their last six regular-season contests at Audi Field, with their only defeat over that stretch occurring in September 2023 versus the New York Red Bulls (5-3).
They have found the back of the net in every one of their regular-season meetings with Miami but have not beaten them at home since 2021 (1-0).
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Missing some of their biggest attacking threats last Sunday, the Herons suffered their first defeat of the MLS campaign at home to Montreal.
Tata Martino's side had their chances but were missing that quality in the attacking third to finish off some of those big opportunities they usually bury.
For as much attacking talent and experience as they possess on that end of the field, this is a side that tend to leave gaps in between the midfield and backline when out of possession, and Montreal exposed that weakness to great effect last Sunday.
Defending set pieces has to be a growing concern for Martino, with the Herons conceding 15 goals off dead-ball situations last year and getting burned for a few already this season.
Miami are winless in their last six away matches in this competition, with their last MLS victory as the visitors taking place at BMO Stadium against Los Angeles FC last September (3-1).
After losing their first two visits to Audi Field versus DC United, the Herons have points in their previous two away matches against them, playing to a 2-2 draw last year and claiming a 3-2 triumph the season before that.
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Team News
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Against Cincy, the Black and Red were missing leading goalscorer Christian Benteke, who has a sore thigh, Mohanad Jeahze sat out for that same reason and Russell Canouse is dealing with an ankle sprain.
Goalkeeper Tyler Miller remains sidelined because of a sore shoulder, while Steve Birnbaum is unlikely to play on Saturday due to a knee injury.
Alex Bono made seven saves versus Cincinnati, collecting his first clean sheet of the domestic campaign, Jackson Hopkins made his first MLS start since September 30 and Matti Peltola led DC with five tackles and 13 duels won.
In their match with Montreal, the Herons were without Lionel Messi, who suffered a knock in the opening leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup (CCC) fixture with Nashville SC, Robbie Robinson is undergoing a medical evaluation and Benjamin Cremaschi is out due to a sports hernia.
A trio of other Miami players might miss this upcoming fixture, including Franco Negri, Ian Fray and Facundo Farias, who all have knee injuries.
Leonardo Campana and Jordi Alba each scored their first goals of the 2024 MLS campaign in their defeat versus Le CFM, while Messi was back in the fold for their return leg with Nashville on Wednesday as he, Luis Suarez and Robert Taylor each scored in a 3-1 triumph as they advanced into the CCC quarter-finals.
DC United possible starting lineup:
Bono; Herrera, Bartlett, McVey, Santos; Klich, Peltola, Fletcher; Murrell, Dajome, Pirani
Inter Miami possible starting lineup:
Callender; Freire, Kryvtsov, Allen; Ruiz, Busquets, Redondo, Alba; Campana, Suarez, Taylor
We say: DC United 1-2 Inter Miami
There are plenty of attacking veterans in Miami who know how to bounce back quickly, and we believe they will be a lot more determined to show their display against Montreal will not be a frequent occurrence.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
