D.C. United is about to face its biggest battle of the season, and standing in their way is Charlotte FC, the last obstacle between them and that long-awaited Audi MLS Cup 2024 playoff spot. It’s like they’re sitting at a poker table with all the chips on the line: win or pack up and go home.
For D.C. United, the pressure is sky-high. They've been stuck in playoff limbo for five long years. Since 2019, they've forgotten what it feels like to even taste the postseason. And now, with their hitman Christian Benteke leading the charge, it feels like this is their last shot.
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But Charlotte isn’t messing around. Led by English coach Dean Smith, who’s added a European flair to the squad, Charlotte FC has turned into an absolute defensive fortress. Through 33 matches, they've only conceded 37 goals. Yeah, you read that right.
And things didn’t go so well the last time these two teams clashed. Back in June, Benteke, the "Belgian tank", came in hot with 13 goals to his name and... nothing. Charlotte shut him down in a way that looked straight out of a movie. Not a single shot on goal. Zilch. Nada. It was like watching Superman without his powers. And now, with 23 goals under his belt and leading the MLS Golden Boot race, Benteke has to face the nightmare that is Charlotte's defense all over again. Adilson Malanda, Charlotte's star defender, dominated the field during that encounter and is probably licking his chops to do it again.
On one side, we’ve got Charlotte’s brick wall of a defense. On the other? D.C. United's defense, which looks like a house of cards about to collapse. They’ve leaked 67 goals this season, yep, the second-worst in the Eastern Conference. With numbers like that, it’s tough to be hopeful about stopping a team that’s scored 11 goals in their last four games. If Charlotte applies pressure from the start, United could drown early.
And let’s be real, D.C. United hasn’t exactly been locking it down at home either. They haven’t managed a clean sheet in their own stadium since March. Yeah, March. It’s hard to believe that a team needing a crucial win or draw just can’t seem to keep the back door shut. And with Charlotte's attack trio starting to fire on all cylinders, this could spell disaster.
Now, if D.C. United has any shot at survival, it goes by the name Christian Benteke. The guy is an absolute goal-scoring machine, especially in the air. He’s competed in 431 aerial duels this season. He leads the league in headers with 46. So, if D.C. United has a game plan, it revolves around using and abusing Benteke as the towering target man.
But let’s be clear, Benteke can’t pull off a miracle by himself. That leaky defense? They need to wake up. The rest of the team needs to stop leaning so heavily on set pieces. Sure, they’ve netted 52 goals this season, but 15 of those came from set plays, and five were penalties.
If soccer has taught us anything, it's that in MLS, anything can happen. Teams that catch fire at the end of the season can turn into nightmares in the playoffs. And Charlotte? They’re riding one of those hot streaks. They haven’t lost in their last four games, and with the playoffs on the horizon, they’ll be hitting the field to keep the momentum rolling. Finishing fifth in the conference would be a huge accomplishment for the squad and a stellar way to cap off the regular season.
But what about D.C. United? If they blow this chance, they’ll be headed home, forced to rethink their entire strategy. This is the kind of game that shapes the future of a team. And if United gets knocked out now, it'll be tough to justify another year stuck in limbo.