Orlando City (7-6-4, 25 pts) follows up its incredible quarterfinal match over Nashville SC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a Fourth of July celebration, hosting D.C. United (4-9-2, 14 pts.) in a holiday tilt at Exploria Stadium. The match, presented by Rasmussen University, is set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET and will be televised locally on FOX35 PLUS and LionNation TV, with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. Local radio coverage will be available from 6:30 p.m. ET on Real Radio 104.1 in English and Acción 97.9 FM in Spanish.
Here’s everything you need to know about D.C. United:
Key Transactions and Player News
Key Additions - F Taxi Fountas (Rapid Vienna), CF Michael Estrada (Toluca, loan), LWB Brad Smith (Seattle Sounders), CM Chris Durkin (Sint-Truiden), F Martín Rodríguez (Altay SK, available July 7)
Key Departures - Head Coach Hernan Losada, CAM Edison Flores (Atlas), F Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), LWB Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg), LB Joseph Mora (Charlotte FC), F Yordy Reyna (Charlotte FC), F Yamil Asad (Universidad Católica), CF Ramón Ábila (Boca Juniors), CM Felipe (Austin FC), DM Júnior Moreno (FC Cincinnati), CB Frédéric Brillant (retirement)
News - As you can see in the “Departures” section above, it has been a season of upheaval for D.C. Losada was axed after just over a year on the job and several key pieces have been moved out, with former Designated Player Edison Flores departing this week for Liga MX side Atlas. The club did bring in Chilean winger Martín Rodríguez on a TAM deal from the Turkish top flight, but he won’t be eligible for Monday’s game as the summer transfer window has yet to open.
Take a look at D.C.’s full roster here.
Team Form
With all the change swirling around the team thus far, it’s no surprise that D.C. has struggled to get off the ground this year. The Black and Red sit in last place in the Eastern Conference and are winless in six, with three straight losses going back to Memorial Day weekend. D.C. got Mukhtar’d at home against Nashville SC last weekend, with the Tennessean DP scoring a brace in a 3-1 loss for the Black and Red.
Head-to-Head
Orlando City and D.C. United are dead-even in their all-time series. Each side has six wins apiece to go along with two draws in all competitions. Orlando swept the season series last year – Mauricio Pereyra scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Audi Field in May, while Daryl Dike struck on the final play of the game to lift the Lions to a 2-1 victory at Exploria Stadium in October.
Rasmussen University Fact
A bright spot this season for D.C. has been the play of new DP forward Taxi Fountas, who has six goals and three assists in nine appearances since joining the Black and Red. Fountas and Orlando City striker Ercan Kara were teammates at Rapid Vienna in 2020 and 2021, combining to be one of the deadliest scoring duos in the Austrian Bundesliga over the past two years. They’ll be reunited Monday for the first time since leaving Austria for MLS this past offseason.
