Predictions Major League Soccer - DC United vs New York Red Bulls

Major League Soccer - DC United vs New York Red Bulls
Match Time: 16-05-2024 07:30 Thursday (GMT+8)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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DC United

After winning just two of their first nine MLS games in 2024, which saw them sitting in 11th place less than a month ago, DC United are now unbeaten in their last three and moved into the automatic final series qualification places following a 3-2 victory over Atlanta United over the weekend.

Christian Benteke headlined the occasion, scoring three headers to register his second hat-trick of the season and third in his last 13 games, making him the fifth player to achieve three hat-tricks in a 13-game span.

Benteke has now netted 11 goals in 10 matches and firmly announced himself as an early contender to win the MLS Golden Boot, currently tied for the league lead with Inter Miami's Luis Suarez and Real Salt Lake's Chicho Arango. The Belgian also became the eighth player in club history to score at least 10 goals in consecutive seasons and the first since Wayne Rooney in 2018-19.

Since taking over from Rooney as head coach at the start of the season, Troy Lesesne has led the Black-and-Reds to three home victories in six matches (W3 D1 L2), which is already half the six-win tally his predecessor managed in 17 matches at Audi Field last term.

The new boss will now be aiming to help his side bring an end to a six-match winless streak against his former club, who he led to a 5-3 victory on their last visit to this venue in September last season.

New York Red Bulls

Meanwhile, a week after getting drubbed by Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, the New York Red Bulls unleashed their frustrations on bottom club New England Revolution on Saturday night with a commanding 4-2 victory at Red Bull Arena.

Lewis Morgan, Emil Forsberg, Elias Manoel and Cameron Harper were all on target, while 21-year-old defender Noah Eile got his first career assist for the Red Bulls, who snapped up a four-match winless streak in the process, marking their first win in over a month.

Harper scored his first of the season in the victory over the Revs and has now recorded five career MLS goals in his time with the Red Bulls, two of which have come against DC United, including one in that 5-3 victory last season.

The win against New England took Sandro Schwarz's side into third place in the Eastern Conference standings, overtaking Toronto, who suffered a 3-2 loss at home to New York City. It also kept NYRB's unbeaten home record this season intact (W3 D2 L0).

However, Schwarz will now have to find a way to deliver the same type of performances on the road, where his side are looking to avoid a third consecutive match without victory and have won just one of the last five.

Prediction: DC United 2-2 New York Red Bulls