At a D.C. United season ticket holder event last night, we got some stadium updates, some humor, and some players talking about how they use Metro ahead of tomorrow's end of days scenario. We also got an update on the Black-and-Red's goalkeeper situation, and it's not good news:
Chad Ashton says Dykstra having back surgery this weekend, time out TBD #dcu
— Ryan Keefer (@reefa_k) March 15, 2025
This has become an Anchorman sort of "that escalated quickly" situation. As of Saturday morning, United fans assumed Andrew Dykstra would be starting against the Revs. Ahead of lineups coming out, he was said to be out with back spasms. Travis Worra deputized, making three saves to help United to a 0-0 road draw. It was Worra's second-ever appearance at the MLS level (his other appearance came in early 2014, subbing in for 32 minutes at Vancouver after Dykstra came up injured during a 2-1 win).
Earlier today, the Washington Post's Steve Goff reported that United was awaiting a doctor's verdict on how long Dykstra would be out. Sometime between today's training session and tonight's Q&A session, that verdict came in and it's one that requires some kind of surgical procedure.
No one at B&RU is a medical doctor, and even if we were, none of us were in the room looking over Dykstra's injury. No one can say for sure right now how long he'll be out. However, it's safe to say that "back surgery" is generally associated with longer recovery times rather than short-term issues. It would not be a surprise at this point to find out that Dykstra is missing weeks or months rather than a game or two.
Where does that leave United? Worra has looked raw in both of his appearances, but to his credit he has not conceded a goal with the Black-and-Red despite appearing in games against two high-powered attacks, both on the road, and both on an unfamiliar turf surface. He seems very likely to start the next couple of games at a minimum, as new signing Charlie Horton has been with the club for less than two weeks and spent the offseason without a club after leaving Leeds United to return to the United States.
Horton will probably push Worra pretty hard for minutes if Dykstra is out for a long stretch, but for the next two or three games at least, Worra will get to build his body of work for the club he grew up supporting.
