United go for their fourth straight win on Saturday when they face Eastern Conferences foes Orlando City, who hold a slight three-point edge over the Black-and-Red in the standings. While United are coming off of an August winning streak thanks in part to their roster additions during the summer transfer window, Orlando, one of the East’s hottest teams earlier in the season, have had a difficult summer, having last won more than two months ago on June 30.
The Lions have been shut out twice since their last win and have conceded 17 goals, failing to shut down opponent’s attacks both at home and on the road. United, on the other hand, enter Saturday's match having earned three consecutive shutouts, a feat they accomplished for the first time since 2007. Bill Hamid continues to prove himself as one of the best keepers in the league, earning himself back-to-back MLS Team of the Week honors in Weeks 24 and 25, while defenders Kofi Opare and Jalen Robinson have also stepped up significantly—Opare using his size and aerial skill to thwart attacks in the box and Robinson filling in for Steve Birnbaum with confidence and finesse.
Russell Canouse has also been a major addition, using his two-way play to clog up the midfield for opponents while also connecting well with United’s wingers on build-up play. Canouse’s first start with the Black-and-Red coincided with the team’s first shutout since June 3, and now United have picked up clean sheets in each of the matches in which Canouse has played. Given the back line and Hamid’s strong performances as of late, Orlando’s attack will likely have a more difficult time finding the back of the net when they face D.C. this time around.
While Canouse is one of a number of new, exciting additions for United, Orlando also feature a few new faces of their own. Forward Dom Dwyer joined the Lions from Sporting Kansas City and midfielder Yoshimar Yotún became Orlando’s newest Designated Player after leaving top Swedish club Malmö FF. Dwyer and Yotún’s firepower combined with established threats Giles Barnes, Cyle Larin, and Carlos Rivas give the Lions plenty of options on offense, but the Black-and-Red’s attack has also looked sharp, especially in their last match.
Against the Revs on August 26, Canouse and Luciano Acosta combined well through the middle, while Paul Arriola and Zoltán Stieber repeatedly switched wings and generated smooth combination play in the final third. After creating the most build-up play of the season in their last match, the Black-and-Red enter Saturday with a sharper offense stacked with additional weapons who are all hungry to score their first goals in Major League Soccer.
United’s final regular-season meeting with Orlando comes at a promising time, as the Black-and-Red are pushing to finish their RFK run in style and the Lions have not won on the road in more than two months. Look for Ben Olsen’s side to come out aggressive on the attack after their two-week break, and don’t be surprised if another notable performance from the back line and Hamid leads to a favorable result for the home team.
