MLS Eastern Conference team DC United will welcome visitors from the MLS Western Conference to Audi Field on Thursday with both aiming to push on to earn a playoff position in their respective leagues.
Minnesota United bring plenty of confidence into this game after securing a victory during their most recent outing, while the hosts have only lost once in their last five matches.
Match preview
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DC United head into this fixture with plenty of belief after looking impressive on Sunday when they defeated Cincinnati 4-2 with a brace from Paul Arriola and goals by Steve Birnbaum and Nigel Robertha helping to get the team back to winning ways.
Their three-match unbeaten run had come to an end against Atlanta United recently, but the quick response is something that Hernan Losada will have been pleased to see.
The team have won and lost 11 games so far this season, but they will now be looking to put together a strong run of form to end the season with a bang.
While they do have a playoff spot at the moment, they are only one point ahead of Atlanta United who sit in eighth and have just beaten DC United twice.
Offensively, the Black and Red have been fantastic this season with only New England Revolution having scored more than them in the MLS Eastern Conference.
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This is a complete contrast to their opponents, as only Austin have found the back of the net fewer times in the MLS Western Conference, and they are currently bottom of the league.
Despite the lack of goals for Minnesota United, they have still managed to get into the playoffs for the time being, and that is a position that they will not want to give up.
Adrian Heath's team have won their past two games, scoring five times in the process without conceding once, proving themselves to be defensively strong.
The Loons came out of the blocks hot on Sunday when they beat Houston Dynamo, with Robin Lod scoring in the first minute of the game to set the tone for his team.
They were able to score a second goal via Ethan Finlay in the 17th minute, putting the game beyond their opponents early on and showcasing their ability to make an immediate impact.
The performances of the two clubs have actually been very similar in their respective leagues with both being sixth-placed at the moment with 37 points each as they look to prove who is the most dominant on Thursday.
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Team News
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DC United have a couple of long-term problems at the moment, with Adrien Perez rehabilitating after his broken ankle while Brendan Hines-Ike has a broken hip.
Chris Odoi-Atsem missed out on the victory against Cincinnati due to a muscular problem, but the squad was boosted by Robertha being able to overcome his own fitness doubts, especially considering he would go on to score.
Emanuel Reynoso is an injury concern for Minnesota United as he had to be substituted during their recent victory against Houston due to a hamstring problem, but it remains to be seen just how serious that will be.
Finlay scored his 50th career goal in the MLS during their win on Sunday, and his recent strong form is something that he will be hoping to continue this week.
Niko Hansen could be able to play on Thursday as well after being named in the squad during their last game, with the winger being an unused substitute.
DC United possible starting lineup:
Hamid; Najar, Birnbaum, Pines; Gressel, Canouse, Moreno, Paredes; Arrilo, Flores; Kamara
Minnesota United possible starting lineup:
Miller; Metanire, Boxall, Dibassy, Gasper; Trapp, Alonso; Finlay, Reynoso, Fragapane; Lod
We say: DC United 2-1 Minnesota United
This fixture brings two very strong teams against each other who will have no shortage of confidence and self-belief heading into this game.
However, the attacking style of DC United and their ability to be clinical in front of goal is what could ultimately give them the edge on Thursday.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a DC United win with a probability of 54.45%. A draw had a probability of 23.4% and a win for Minnesota United had a probability of 22.15%.
The most likely scoreline for a DC United win was 1-0 with a probability of 10.67%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (9.81%) and 2-0 (9.44%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (11.09%), while for a Minnesota United win it was 0-1 (6.28%). The actual scoreline of 3-1 was predicted with a 5.8% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted that DC United would win this match.
