When the 2015 regular season started in March, D.C. United used the same lineup in its first two matches. In the next 21 contests, at least one spot in D.C. United’s starting XI changed every single game, and the Black-and-Red clinched a playoff berth with is 2-1 win over New York City FC while using its 29th different lineup in 32 games this season.
In their run to a second straight postseason berth, the most consistent statistic for the Black-and-Red has been change. But no matter who has been on the field, players have stepped up to the challenge. United also leads Major League Soccer with goals or assists from 18 different players on the roster.
With a place in the playoffs secured, take a look back at the twists and turns of the starting XIs of 2015:
March 7 vs. Montreal, March 22 at New York Red Bulls (1): For the first two games of the year, the starting XI was the same: Bill Hamid; Chris Korb, Bobby Boswell, Steven Birnbaum, Sean Franklin; Chris Rolfe, Perry Kitchen, Davy Arnaud, Nick DeLeon; Chris Pontius, Jairo Arrieta.
March 28 vs. Los Angeles (2): Only one change, as Taylor Kemp replaced Korb at left back. But things would get interesting when Birnbaum went down injured five minutes into United’s 1-0 win over the defending MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy.
April 3 at Orlando City (3): Kofi Opare, Birnbaum’s replacement against L.A., made his first regular season start for the Black-and-Red.
April 11 vs. New York (4): With Nick DeLeon experiencing muscle tightness, Michael Farfan made his first D.C. United start.
April 18 vs. Houston (5): It was Hamid’s turn to pick up a knock, and Andrew Dykstra made his first regular season start of 2015.
April 25 at Vancouver (6): Fabián Espíndola made his highly-anticipated 2015 debut, one of multiple changes out West. IN: DeLeon, Korb. OUT: Kemp, Arnaud, Arrieta. Dykstra kept his starting spot for a second match in a row.
May 2 vs. Columbus (7): Hamid and Arnaud were back in the XI – it was their first game of the regular season with Espíndola.
May 9 vs. Sporting Kansas City (8): Espíndola, injured again, was out, and Arrieta was back in – his first start in the same lineup as Opare and Korb.
May 13 vs. Orlando City (9): Luis Silva’s first start of 2015 made for another new XI.
May 17 at Philadelphia (10): Markus Halsti’s first start was also his first regular season appearance for the Black-and-Red. Rookie Miguel Aguilar also made his first start.
May 23 at New England (11): Conor Doyle’s first start of 2015.
May 27 at Portland (12): Lots of changes for this quick turnaround on the West Coast. Rookie Luke Mishu made his United debut in the starting XI, along with Jared Jeffrey in his first start of the year.
May 30 vs. Philadelphia (13): Here’s where it got a little tricky. This match marked the first time that Doyle and DeLeon were both in the XI.
June 3 vs. Chicago (14): Halsti and Aguilar were in the XI with DeLeon and Hamid for the first time.
June 6 vs. Toronto (15): Espíndola and Doyle were in the XI together for the first time.
June 14 at Orlando City (16): Espíndola made his fourth start – this was the first time he did so with Kemp also in the lineup.
June 21 vs. New England (17): Doyle made his sixth start – this is the first one with a back line of Kemp, Birnbaum, Boswell and Korb.
June 24 at Chicago (18): Another new combo as Halsti and Silva were in the XI together for the first time.
June 27 at Toronto (19): Remarkably, Silva and Espíndola start together for the first time in 2015.
July 3 at Seattle (20): Only one change from the Toronto game: Dykstra for Hamid.
July 18 at Dallas (21): It was the first time that Dykstra, Doyle and Korb were in the starting lineup together.
July 26 vs. Philadelphia (22): With Álvaro Saborío joining the team, the door opened for even more new combinations of players.
Aug. 1 vs. Real Salt Lake: For the second time in 2015 – in what will go down as the wildest game of the season- the Black-and-Red had the same starting lineup for consecutive matches.
Aug. 8 at Montreal (23), Aug. 13 at New York City FC (24), Aug. 22 vs. San Jose (25), Aug. 30 at New York Red Bulls (26): In order, Hamid, Halsti, Farfan and Pontius each made their first start with Sabo.
Sept. 12 at Colorado, Sept. 19 vs. Columbus (27): Espíndola and Halsti started together for the first time in a lineup that didn’t change against the Crew this weekend.
Sept. 26 at Montreal (28): The Black-and-Red played just their second game of the regular season without Perry Kitchen, who was unavailable due to yellow card accumulation.
Oct. 2 vs. New York City FC (29): With Steven Birnbaum suspended due to yellow card accumulation, Kofi Opare returned to the starting XI, and Álvaro Saborío came off the bench for the first time since joining the Black-and-Red. Sabo also scored, and bedlam ensued at RFK Stadium. As the Black-and-Red now turn toward preparation for an MLS Cup run, they know they’ve got the depth to make those celebrations continue well into the postseason.
