D.C. United vs. New England Revolution staff and reader predictions

Last time D.C. United met the New England Revolution, it was a back-and-forth affair at Gillette Stadium that ended 3-2 in the home side’s favor.

That was before Audi Field. Before Wayne Rooney. Before the Black-and-Red started working a little bit of magic and maybe—just maybe—salvaging a previously pretty dismal season.

But does the magic continue tonight, or does a packed schedule catch up with DCU?

Donald Wine II

So, I was set to say this was the type of game that would be a letdown from the previous two where we’d escape with a draw. Then, Brad Friedel had to fix his face to say something about Wayne Rooney. Wazza’s not going to let that slide. Wayne Rooney bags another brilliant goal and provides two assists to Yamil Asad and Paul Arriola. Bill Hamid gets the clean sheet, and it’s 3-0 Black-and-Red. Rooney walks off shaking his head at Friedel like Bunk did McNulty.

Adam Taylor

Turns out the young man from Liverpool cares not about our preconceived notions of his desire, ability, fitness, or anything else. Dude is here to win. And that’s what’ll happen—again—Sunday night on Potomac Avenue. Señor Wayne won’t be involved in the opener, as Yamil Asad puts in a rebound to get the hosts on the board early, and the first half proceeds mostly uneventfully from there. Rooney sets up Arriola for a second just after the break, and United channel the Black-and-Red teams of a decade (or longer) ago and take the air out of the ball with good possession to see the game out. 2-0 los Capitalinos.

Ryan Keefer

For whatever reason this game smells like a trap to me. The Revs can score, but their goals scored and goals allowed looks a lot like D.C.’s, minus the games in hand, and they’ve sucked raw eggs for six weeks now. Figure Teal Bunbury scores midway in the first half before Wayne Rooney equals for D.C., but an insane week for D.C. catches up to them with a 1-1 draw.

Jason Anderson

The Revs haven’t kept an opponent to fewer than two goals in any of their last five games, and their solution appears to be to keep doing what they’ve been doing, but harder. United will take advantage of New England’s mess of a left back situation early, with Rooney teeing up Zoltan Stieber for a golazo from distance. The game will be wide open for much of the first half, with Bill Hamid producing two big stops before Rooney makes it 2-0 on an assist from Luciano Acosta. The second half won’t be perfect, as a tiring United struggles to control the tempo, but ultimately the Revs can only manage one goal, a rebound finish late from Diego Fagundez. 2-1 DCU.

Leanne Elston

Part of me is tempted to say that the OMG vibes DCU has been serving up lately just can’t last (OK, I know it’s only been two games, but it feels like a lifetime). At the same time, though, this team is playing with confidence and I don’t see a good reason it shouldn’t pay off against the Revs. Give me a 2-0 win for the Black-and-Red, with Arriola and Rooney getting on the board.

How do you think things will go down in tonight’s game? Share your prediction in the comments, but lo, a wild silly poll appears first.