Wayne Rooney and DC United will certainly be ready for Carlos Vela and LAFC on Saturday afternoon.
By Ivan Yeo
LAFC and DC United have a lot in common.
Both teams last year opened brand new soccer-specific stadiums in their respective downtown areas of its respective cities, both stadiums opened at certain points during the season, and both teams shelled out big money for big-name superstar strikers, LAFC for Mexican star Carlos Vela and DC United for England legend Wayne Rooney.
There is also a few other things that both teams share this season; an undefeated start to their respective seasons, both teams having drawn with New York City FC at Yankee Stadium and its two stars, Rooney and Vela, both have hat tricks so far. The only difference between the two teams is the number of wins, with LAFC’s four wins one better than DC United. Nevertheless, both teams will put their undefeated starts on the line on Saturday night as the two teams are set to clash in a scintillating, nationally televised showdown at Audi Field on Saturday afternoon on FOX.
While the two teams have yet to lose this season, both teams have taken somewhat different paths to their undefeated starts. LAFC has relied on a little bit of drama to get them through their undefeated stretch. LAFC has come from behind to win in stoppage time twice, the first time against Sporting Kansas City on opening week, then two weeks later, did it again against Real Salt Lake. LAFC also came erased two one-goal deficits in its draw against NYCFC back on March 17 and LAFC’s two other wins were blowouts, against the Portland Timbers in week two and most recently, a 5-0 drubbing of the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend.
LAFC has certainly had the hearts pounding so far this season, as well as Carlos Vela, albeit in a different way. Vela has been the dominant force for LAFC this season with six goals and three assists. Vela’s talent was on full display last Saturday against the Quakes, as he recorded the hat trick and had a helper on the team’s fifth goal.
DC United however has looked more like a dominant team during its unbeaten run. DCU started the season with a 2-0 win over reigning MLS Cup champion Atlanta United, then following a road draw with NYCFC, came back with a 5-0 romp of Real Salt Lake, then jumped to a 2-0 lead over Orlando City last weekend, and while they had to sweat it out a little bit at the end, they still managed to pick up the three points.
Like Vela for LAFC, Wayne Rooney has been the star for DC Unite this season. Rooney’s hat trick came RSL back on March 16, then this past Sunday against Orlando City, Rooney scored a golazo, as his free kick from a tight angle, at the left side of the Orlando penalty area, bended in at the far post net.
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