For the Black-and-Red, defense is critical. With captain and U.S. Men’s National Team defender Steve Birnbaum and MLS veteran Sean Franklin at the heart of the defense alongside United's first-ever Homegrown Player Bill Hamid providing cover in goal, the Black-and-Red are well-versed in defending. Leidos, the presenting partner of D.C. United, is a global science and technology leader in defense. Whether it's air, land, sea, space, or cyberspace, Leidos meets challenges and provides solutions. Sponsored by Leidos, this weekly feature delves into some of the defensive storylines for United's next match.
When United travel to Portland for their final away match of the season on Sunday, the Black-and-Red will be focused on shutting down one of MLS’ highest-scoring offenses.
The Timbers have scored 54 goals this season, good enough for best in the Western Conference and fourth-best in the league. Argentinian midfielder Diego Valeri has been especially dangerous, averaging nearly a point per game, with 20 goals and nine assists in 30 matches for Portland.
Of their 54 goals, the Timbers have scored 32 in Providence Park, giving the Black-and-Red’s much-improved defense a noteworthy challenge at the tail end of the season. Since the conclusion of the summer transfer window, United are averaging 1.22 goals against per game, far lower than their 1.69 season average. The Black-and-Red have also posted four clean sheets in their last eight matches, including Steve Clark’s one-save shutout against San Jose on Septembter 23 in which United's back line effectively shut down San Jose's offensive production.
United’s recent infusion of talent in the midfield in the forms of Paul Arriola, Zoltán Stieber, and Russell Canouse has also helped tilt possession in the Black-and-Red’s favor in recent matches. Keeping the ball away from the opposition has been vital for United, providing them with the defensive stability they lacked early in the season in part due to their inability to sustain possession.
Despite losing defender Taylor Kemp, who still leads the team in tackles, interceptions, and ball recoveries, for the season to injury in August, the rest of the back line have banded to limit opponents’ offensive opportunities. Kofi Opare has been one of the biggest keys in the Black-and-Red’s defensive renaissance, starting in 10 consecutive matches and registering 104 clearances in 25 games.
While the Timbers’ attack has flourished, their defense has failed to keep pace, giving up 49 goals, the worst rate of any team in playoff position. Like United, Portland have improved as of late on the defensive end, though, giving up just five goals in their last five matches, setting the stage for what should be an interesting defensive showdown come Sunday.
