D.C. United accomplished one of their season-long missions on Sunday when they defeated New York City FC 3-1 and clinched a spot in the playoffs after spending much of 2018 in last place in the league. But the regular season isn’t quite over yet. With one more game remaining on the road against the Chicago Fire, United have the opportunity to lift themselves even higher in the Eastern Conference and bring a Knockout Round match home to Audi Field and the District.
The Black-and-Red are coming off a busy week with three matches in ten days, during which time they picked up all nine points available. Now Ben Olsen's squad has a week before their game against Chicago, but they will then face a quick turnaround from the end of the regular season to the start of the postseason. However the coaching staff decide to line up their players on Sunday, the entirety of the team will have their next goal front of mind—clinch home-field advantage for the Knockout Round.
“A home game is a big deal,” Olsen said, “especially for a knockout game.”
The Black-and-Red have been dominant at Audi Field, but will look to carry their momentum through Chicago's Toyota Park this weekend as well. Three points on the road on Sunday would allow United to bring the playoffs back to their home fortress and continue their magical run at Audi Field, where United have proven they have the confidence to beat anyone.
“It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish,” midfielder Paul Arriola said after the match against New York City FC. “Sometimes I think the hotter you get toward the end, the better you are, the better it is for your team. I think the confidence in this group is great. The chemistry, the connections—not just the relationship on the field, but off the field, in the locker room, is tremendous. And I think that’s gonna carry us on. Obviously, playing in a knockout game, that’s a given now, and I think if we can push ourselves into a game at home, that’s the best thing we can do.”
The Black-and-Red have their opportunity to clinch home-field advantage for the Knockout Round this Sunday on the road against the Chicago Fire. And if United can jump another spot in the East, climbing to fourth place and thus setting themselves up to host the fifth place team in the conference, the Black-and-Red will be primed to start what they hope will be a deep playoff run with the gauntlet of Audi Field as their backdrop and home-field advantage on their side.
