D.C. United v Colorado Rapids: Lesesne hoping Benteke can reignite hosts' attack

D.C. United head coach Troy Lesesne is hoping that Christian Benteke's return from injury will help his team in the attacking areas ahead of facing the Colorado Rapids. 

Benteke, last season's top scorer in the MLS, and fellow attacker Joao Peglow missed D.C.'s 3-0 defeat to Philadelphia Union with injury as United struggled in the final third. 

Lesesne's side managed an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.75 from their nine shots, compared to the Union's 1.22 from their 12 efforts at Luis Barraza's goal. 

Benteke is expected to return for D.C. this weekend, though Lesesne added that he would also like to see improvements from his team at both ends of the pitch. 

"We obviously miss Christian, and we miss Peglow," Lesesne said. "That said, in the first half, we were really in control, and we created a number of big opportunities and chances, and we didn’t give much away.

"I'm never going to begrudge someone to try to go and score a goal in that situation, and Jacob is more than capable of doing that, but those are the big moments, right? We didn't capitalise on ours, and they capitalised on theirs, and this is what we have to correct.

"Many, many phases, we're on top of the game. We just have to tighten up and punish the other team whenever we have our chances. And then we have to dig things out a little bit more to prevent the goals we are giving away."

Next up: Back home at @AudiField for Military Appreciation Night

https://t.co/jgTE0TEX52 pic.twitter.com/cPJUwPmCk0

— D.C. United (@dcunited) April 28, 2025

Colorado, meanwhile, are looking to build on their 1-1 draw with the Seattle Sounders last time out, a result that leaves them fifth in the Western Conference after 10 games.

Rapids head coach Chris Armas acknowledged the difficulty his side face at Audi Field, but the 52-year-old has a good record against this weekend's opponents. 

He has won three of his seven games against D.C. in all competitions (D2 L2), only managing more victories against the San Jose Earthquakes and Atlanta United (both four) across his coaching career.

"We are looking at building our team and the types of performances that look like us and putting ourselves in spots to win games," Armas said. "We know at D.C. United, I have coached in that venue before. It is a tough stadium to go to.

"The team is hard to play against and that is the first thing to understand. They have not got all the results, but they have been in every single game this year, even the one last week against Philadelphia – they were the protagonists in many ways.

"It will be a tough game, but what I am looking forward to most is to see how our team responds to a different kind of challenge. A road challenge, a combative team, a team in D.C. United that are desperate for points. It's another test for us to show where we are. I can’t wait."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

D.C. United – Kye Rowles

D.C. United won 32 aerial duels against the Union on Saturday, taking their league-high average to 18.8 aerial duels won per match this season, with Rowles a huge part of that.

He won a team-high seven in the air against them, while only fellow defender Lucas Bartlett (11) and Dominique Badji (nine) competed in more in the contest than Rowles (eight).

D.C. have won 55.5 percent of their aerial duels in 2025, the third highest in MLS behind San Diego FC and Toronto FC.

Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic

Including scoring the Rapids' lone goal on a direct free-kick on Saturday, Mihailovic has been directly involved in six of Colorado's last eight goals (five goals, one assist).

The strike was the first direct free-kick goal scored by an American in MLS this season.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

D.C. United has lost only one of their last 11 meetings with Colorado, dating back to May 2011 (W5 D5), though that lone defeat came in the Rapids' last visit to Audi Field, a 2-1 Colorado win in 2020.

But they have won only two of their last 17 regular-season home matches (D7 L8) dating back to the start of May 2024. D.C. have also managed only one clean sheet at Audi Field in that time, a scoreless draw with the league's lowest-scoring team this season, CF Montreal, in March.

Colorado, meanwhile, have lost only two of their first 10 matches of a season (W4 D4) for the fifth time in club history and first since 2016. The Rapids' only away loss this term came against the league-leading Vancouver Whitecaps.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

D.C. United – 37.1%

Draw – 26.3%

Colorado Rapids – 36.5%