D.C. United (5-11-6, 21 pts.) face the Montreal Impact in their final match of the 2020 MLS Regular Season on Sunday, November 8 at 3:30 p.m. EST. With their playoff hopes still alive, United will have everything to play for on Decision Day.
In their last match, the Black-and-Red lost 4-3 against the New England Revolution in a high-scoring, back-and-forth match. The match was highlighted by Edison Flores and Moses Nyeman, who both picked up their first career MLS assists. Flores added a second assist in the match as well.
Yamil Asad scored the first goal of the match when Edison Flores found him unmarked at the back post for his first MLS assist in the 22nd minute. Flores found some space on the left wing and curled in a perfect cross to Asad who was on-hand to finish to the left of New England goalkeeper, Matt Turner. United doubled their lead shortly after when Griffin Yow pounced on a loose ball in the box and forced the ball into the net for his second career MLS goal.
The match went into halftime 2-1, though, as New England cut the lead in half when Adam Buksa finished the rebound after Carles Gil saw his penalty kick hit the left post and fall right into Buksa’s path in the box.
New England came out of the break and scored the first two goals of the second half. The first came in the 54th minute, after Russell Canouse’s attempted clearance ricocheted past Hamid into the net. New England then took the lead in the 67th minute when Teal Bunbury finished a low cross into the bottom right corner.
United pushed forward and found an equalizer of their own in the 75th minute through second-half substitute, Gelmin Rivas. Edison Flores looped in a cross from the right wing that Rivas controlled and finished with a low, driven shot. Homegrown midfielder, Moses Nyeman, also earned an assist on the goal, his first in MLS.
The 3-3 scoreline did not last long, as Teal Bunbury found his second of the night in the 84th minute, finishing a rebound after a strong initial save by Bill Hamid on Buksa from close range.
In Montreal’s last match, they lost 1-0 to Orlando City. They have earned three points in their last five matches and currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with 23 points. United lost their only other matchup this season with Montreal 1-0 on July 21 at the MLS is Back Tournament.
United will need all three points against Montreal to give themselves a chance at the playoffs. Inter Miami, Atlanta United, and the Chicago Fire are also vying for the last few playoff spots, and the Black-and-Red will need the results from those matches to go United’s way for them to clinch their playoff berth.
D.C. United against the Montreal Impact on Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. EST will be broadcast on WJLA 24/7 News and streamed on www.dcunited.com
Prior to kick-off, catch up with Dave Johnson, Devon McTavish, and Claudia Pagán as they preview the upcoming match on the Audi pre-game show at 2:45 p.m. EST on www.dcunited.com.
D.C. United will clinch a berth in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs IF:
- D.C. United win vs. Montréal Impact AND
- Chicago Fire lose or tie vs. New York City FC AND
- Atlanta United lose or tie vs. Columbus Crew SC
-- OR --
- D.C. United win vs. Montréal Impact AND
- Chicago Fire lose or tie vs. New York City FC AND
- Inter Miami CF lose or tie vs. FC Cincinnati
-- OR --
- D.C. United win vs. Montréal Impact AND
- Atlanta United lose or tie vs. Columbus Crew SC AND
- Inter Miami CF lose or tie vs. FC Cincinnati
