In the season opener against the Colorado Rapids on Feb. 29, Felipe Martins made his 250th career MLS Regular Season appearance while Júnior Moreno made his 50th appearance for D.C. United. Despite playing in just nine regular season matches together, Felipe and Moreno have formed an impressive partnership in the middle of the park for the Black-and-Red.
The duo play to their strengths and seem to compliment each other's style of play while on the field together. Throughout his career, Felipe has showcased leadership and a willingness to put his body on the line for his teammates while Moreno has constantly put in timely tackles to recover possession for United. Felipe and Moreno each have tireless work ethics and maintain stability in front of United’s backline. When one of them ventures forward to support the attack, the other will remain behind to provide defensive cover.
While both midfielders have demonstrated their ability to disrupt the opposition's flow of play, they also have shown their ability to control possession and create opportunities for their teammates. With constant movement in the midfield, Felipe and Moreno always provide an outlet for their teammates. Despite attempting the most passes on D.C. United in 2019, Júnior Moreno led the Black-and-Red with a passing accuracy of 88%, while providing three assists in the process. Felipe has recorded 49 assists and scored 24 goals in his nine-year MLS career and recorded his first for the Black-and-Red in the 3-0 win against Montreal on Aug. 31, 2019. In his first nine games with the Black-and-Red, the 29-year-old recorded one assist and created six chances.
Due to their intensity and relentless work rate, the Brazilian and the Venezuelan are the type of players that bring out the best in their teammates. Although supporters have seen just nine games with Felipe and Moreno together in the lineup, fans of the Black-and-Red can look forward to the rest of the 2020 season with these two controlling the middle of the park for United.
