DC United are looking to build on their positive start to the new MLS campaign, while FC Cincinnati will want to bounce back after a poor result on the opening day.
The two teams meet at the TQL Stadium on Saturday in gameweek two of the Eastern Conference, with visitors DC United currently sitting second in the table.
Match preview
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Pat Noonan's side could not have started this season in a worse way, suffering a heavy 5-0 defeat at the hands of Austin FC last weekend, placing Cincinnati rock bottom of the league on goal difference.
The Orange and Blues did create chances in that game, but the hosts were too clinical in front of goal, with Austin scoring all five of the shots they registered on target.
That result is a worrying sign for Noonan's side, who have commenced this campaign in a similar way to how they were performing last season, when they finished bottom of the table.
A major aspect of their poor year last term was that they conceded too many goals, 74 in total from 34 outings, and having allowed Austin to score five last Saturday, this weekend's hosts will have to improve on their defensive capabilities to record a better result this time around.
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Hernan Losada's side, in contrast, began their campaign in style against new outfit Charlotte FC last weekend, when a brace from Michael Estrada and a second-half strike from Ola Kamara sealed a 3-0 win on home soil.
The Black and Reds showed their efficiency in that outing, as Charlotte dominated possession and created more chances, but DC United managed to take their chances when they fell to them.
That result has given this weekend's visitors the opportunity to top the table by the end of gameweek two, and they will be keen to put together a winning run to build momentum in this early stage of the year.
DC United just missed out on a playoff spot last campaign, finishing one point behind seventh place in the Eastern Conference, and so they will be looking to go a step further this year and reach the post-season tournament, with a strong start likely to aid them in that quest.
Losada's side's away form last year was also something that let them down, returning 21 more points on their own patch than they did so on their travels, but they can start the turnaround of that stat this weekend in their first away match of the new season.
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Team News
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Cincinnati midfielder Junior Moreno arrived at the club from DC United last week, and he is expected to start against his former side this weekend, having been one of the bright sparks for Cincinnati in their defeat last week.
Right-back Ray Gaddis was handed his full debut for the Orange and Blues against Austin, and the 32-year-old is likely to start in the hosts' defensive four.
Nick Markanich and Brandon Vazquez lead the line for Noonan's side last week, but Dominique Badji could come into the starting 11 for this encounter, potentially replacing Markanich.
Ecuador international Estrada joined DC United on loan from Mexican outfit Toluca and he began his career with the club in the best possible way with a brace last week, and he is expected to lead the line again.
The visitors could set up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Brad Smith and Julian Gressel providing some width from their wing-back roles, while Griffin Yow and Edison Flores supporting the lone striker.
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Kann; Matarrita, Blackett, Cameron, Gaddis; Cruz, Moreno, Kubo; Acosta; Badji, Vazquez
DC United possible starting lineup:
Hamid; Birnbaum, Hines-Ike, Najar; Smith, Skundrich, Nyeman, Gressel; Flores, Yow; Estrada
We say: FC Cincinnati 1-3 DC United
Cincinnati did create chances against Austin which is why they could cause Saturday's visitors a few problems and get themselves on the scoresheet in front of their home crowd.
However, DC United will be full of confidence from their victory last week and will look to use Cincinnati's poor defensive record to their advantage, suggesting that they could score another trio of goals.
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 49.65%. A win for FC Cincinnati had a probability of 25.64% and a draw had a probability of 24.7%.
The most likely scoreline for a DC United win was 0-1 with a probability of 10.74%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-2 (9.52%) and 0-2 (8.71%). The likeliest FC Cincinnati win was 1-0 (7.24%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.74%). The actual scoreline of 0-1 was predicted with a 10.7% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted a 0-1 win for DC United in this match and our team at Sports Mole correctly predicted the win for DC United.
