Loudoun United went almost eight months between competitive matches and even had a reduced preseason to various cancellations, and the lack of exposure showed early, but the team was given an advantage they were unable to utilize and fell 2-1 to Miami FC in their first game of Atlantic Division competition.
Early on, Miami took advantage of an inexperienced backline, as Ariel Martinez sent a cross into the Loudoun box, where Paco Craig headed the ball over Wahab Ackwei towards Jermaine Fordah’s left. Fordah tipped a portion of it, but not enough to go into the net for a 1-0 Miami lead in the sixth minute, which would double almost immediately after, as Miami forward Pierre Da Silva muscled newly acquired Logan Panchot off the ball on the right.