D.C. United will be the opponent for an MLS team debuting in the league for the fifth time in club history. D.C. played the first ever MLS match against San Jose, then played against Columbus in the Crew’s first match the next week (both wins). D.C. also was the inaugural opponent for the Miami Fusion in 1998 and Chivas USA in 2005 (both losses).
D.C. has proven a tough place to visit for expansion sides, as United has lost only two of its 19 home matches against MLS newcomers (including playoffs), falling to the Fusion in 1998 and Seattle in 2009. Since that defeat to the Sounders, D.C. has a record of W8 D3 L0 at home against expansion sides.
Expansion teams have struggled in their inaugural matches recently, with just one newcomer winning their first MLS match in the last decade (LAFC vs Seattle in 2018). Dating back to the Timbers first MLS match on March 20, 2011, expansion sides have a record of W1 D2 L8 in their inaugural matches.
D.C. United won a league-high 11 penalties last season, scoring 10 of them. Ola Kamara went 9-for-10 from the spot, with his nine converted penalties tied for the most in a single season in MLS history with Jaime Moreno’s nine for D.C. United in 2005.
Only three of the last 12 MLS expansion sides were shut out in their first match in the league, though one was Austin FC last season. No expansion side has scored more than one goal in their inaugural match, however, since Vancouver beat Toronto, 4-2, in 2011.
