D.C. United can play their way into the knockout round of the MLS Is Back tournament Tuesday night if they can defeat the Montreal Impact in their group finale in Orlando.
The Red-and-Black have played to draws in their two previous matches against Toronto FC and New England, leaving them in third place two points behind those teams. But the two points gained have them in strong position, and a victory in this match coupled with a non-draw when those teams square off Tuesday would give United (1-1-2) second place in Group C.
"If we win, we are in," captain Steven Birnbaum told The Washington Post. "We've got to get something out of this game."
If D.C. win and the other match ends in a draw, all three teams would be level on five points and then be ranked by goal difference for seeding in the round of 16. United will know what they have to do before kickoff since Toronto FC and New England square off Tuesday morning.
Ben Olsen's team was gifted a 1-1 draw versus New England on Saturday, with Federico Higuain ghosting to intercept a poorly hit back pass and rounding Revs keeper Matt Turner before slotting home the equalizer in the 72nd minute. United have yet to lead while in Orlando, salvaging their other point versus Toronto with two late goals despite playing with 10 men.
The 35-year-old Higuain, signed as a free agent in the offseason, has scored goals in both group matches - scoring both inside of four minutes after his entrance as a substitution.
"We might decide he is a guy we can't keep off the field," Olsen said of Higuain, who spent the previous eight seasons with Columbus. "But we also might decide as this thing goes that he is a 30-minute player for us and maybe a 60-minute player. We don't know yet, but I am open (to starting him). ... We're pushing him to have a bigger role than 15 minutes."
Montreal (1-2-1) still has a chance to reach the knockout round, but must win this match and get some other favorable results to progress as one of the four best third-place teams. The Impact's defense was haphazard at best in a 4-3 derby defeat to Toronto FC on Thursday, twice erasing one-goal deficits in the first half only to cough up the lead.
Saphir Taider had a brace on either side of halftime - scoring both goals from the spot. Even if Montreal does not get out of the group, first-year coach Thierry Henry is stressing the importance of taking three points from this match, and his players are listening.
"We don't know what's going to happen the rest of the season, but these games count in the rankings," midfielder Samuel Piette told the Montreal Gazette. "We can't afford to lose points just because we might be out of the tournament. We have to play every game like it's our last."
Rudy Camacho's absence could again loom large as the defender will miss his second match after flying back to Montreal to be with his wife, who is due to give birth very soon. Henry also continues to tinker with his first XI, giving Romell Quioto, Emanuel Maciel and Jorge Corrales stats. Quioto did reward Henry with a goal, moving into a tie with Taider and Maxi Urruti for the team lead with three.
United took four of a possible six points in last year's two meetings, winning 3-0 at Montreal after a scoreless draw in the nation's capital on a first-half brace from Ola Kamara. The Impact have gone 355 minutes without a goal in this matchup since Matteo Mancosu scored in the fifth minute of a 1-1 draw in August 2018.
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