We can talk around it, and talk about games in hand, and prevaricate all we want, but for D.C. United, today’s game against the Montreal Impact will be decisive. A failure to win will not mathematically eliminate the Black-and-Red, but it will make any hope of advancement to the MLS playoffs an unrealistic hope. The math is simple: today, 5 points back with 5 games to play? Yeah, they’re still very much in it thank to the Impact having played more games. 8 points back with 4 to play? Game over, man.
The game, in a series that is dead even (5W-6D-5L, 19 goals for and 19 against), figures to be an intriguing clash of styles.