On Saturday, DC United take on the Las Vegas Lights.

The Lights are an expansion USL side that have played 2 games in their existence (a 2-0 loss to Montreal Impact and then a 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps).

My guess is that Ben Olsen will want to play a strong lineup, given that this is his last chance to see how the players will be during an actual game, so here's what I've got:

Mullins

Asad, Stieber, Acosta, Arriola

Durkin

Fisher, Brillant, Birnbaum, DeLeon

Ousted

Subs: Mattocks, Segura, Moreno, Harkes, Robinson, Miranda, Clark

My assumption is that all the subs I listed will go in. Probably circa 60th minute the 4141 will switch to a 4231 given the substitutions.

The Lights had two players sent off in their last game, which means DC players will have to be at their best to avoid injuries given MLS starts one week after the match.

In both of Vegas's games they have let the opponent score 2 goals before they got on the scoreboard and in neither of those matches were they able to comeback and win the game, so I assume that DC may be looking for early, yet important goals.

The connection I have been looking for all preseason, yet haven't seen yet, is Segura-Mullins.

In January Ulises Segura tweeted that Patrick Mullins was an excellent player and person.

That being said, if Mullins starts and Segura doesn't, I hope that Segura comes on during the halftime substitution cluster and Mullins comes off circa 60th minute cluster. If they both start or if they both come off, then it's great because they may develop a strong chemistry over the season.

The connection of Zoltan-Mattocks has been very strong and this is yet another significant chance to make it even stronger.

Yamil Asad played well for DC against the Jacksonville Armada. He had a neat little build-up with Oniel Fisher that unfortunately could not find its way through but it was still positive. He had some other nifty plays, but this was one of the first ones and I hope that he will be able to improve his play with the team against the Lights.

I would like to see Lucho Acosta extend his scoring streak against Vegas. It would be nice since we want him going into the season hot. Plus he's missing the season opener, so I want make sure he's in form at Atlanta to get the season off with a bang though of course, he does have a very good history against them, so he might get the season up and down the road anyway (literally). But goals are good, and he might get some more if he scores tonight by an assistee (I don't think that's a word) other than Darren Mattocks and himself since he's already scored off those assistees and he'll be better off if he builds more chemistry before March 11.

Why has this this turned into a DC United preseason analysis article? Because Las Vegas Lights FC have played literally two games in their entire history.

Anyway, my prediction is that DC United will run out 2-0 winners at Cashman Field.

Z.P. Siegel, signing off