There's a good chance you had this match circled on the calendar the second the 2019 MLS schedule was released.
But if you didn't, the first month of the season presents a pretty convincing case for D.C. United vs. LAFC being the premiere match of 2019 to date.
Both sides come into Sunday on the back of consecutive wins. Both are undefeated and tops of their respective conference. And if that weren't enough, both have MVP frontrunners leading their sides in Carlos Vela and Wayne Rooney.
Suffice it to say, this is a big one.
Here are the Toyota Keys to the Match between LAFC and D.C. United:
Stop LuchaRoo + Rodriguez
The arrival of Wayne Rooney has meant so much to D.C. United and its fanbase. But no one was happier than Luciano Acosta.
The almost telepathic connection between the pint-sized Argentine and Rooney formed immediately upon the former Manchester United striker's arrival. Since last summer, they took the Eastern Conference by storm. So much so, #LuchaRoo entered into MLS nomenclature.
Well, now they have a third member in Lucas Rodriguez this season. The three have punished teams with little interchanges in dangerous areas. If you allow them to combine in and around your backline, you're asking for trouble. So LAFC will need to do its best to snuff out passes between those three when Rodriguez comes inside from the left.
Get Behind United's Two-Man Shield
Much of the plaudits this season have rightfully gone the way of Wayne Rooney. D.C. United are flying behind the Englishman's goals and nearly all the offense runs through him.
However, let's not overlook that D.C. has conceded just once in four matches. While their backline looks to be clicking with new signing Leonard Jara, you have to look a bit further upfield for the real source of United's success.
Playing in a two-man midfield in front of the backline, Russell Canouse and Júnior Moreno have been the lynchpins of D.C. in 2019. They shield the backline, fill in the gaps when fullbacks fly forward, and they allow United's front four the freedom to press and get forward at will.
LAFC needs to unsettle that partnership. Don't allow the tandem to dictate the match and clog the middle. There's a variety of ways to do this, whether it's finding the likes of Carlos Vela on the move towards the middle of the pitch or the work of the center forward dropping off the backline into areas of space just behind the tandem. Any way you go about it, LAFC need to free up space in that important area of the pitch.
Use The Ball Wisely
Control of this match will be vital.
LAFC can't afford to allow wave after wave of D.C. United's front four to come at them. If this match gets stretched, you'd have to like the home side's chances on Saturday.
To avoid this, LAFC needs to be conscious of the ways they are using the ball. In dangerous areas, they need to be particularly conscious of turning the ball over. They need clean passes and clear ideas building from the back and the middle of the pitch. Players out of possession will need to pay a particular focus on the shape of the team. Do they need to be close to their mark in certain moments? Should they be running into space? These little decisions in possession could be what the match turns on.
