D.C. United looking to maintain momentum vs. Charlotte

After back-to-back away wins, D.C. United will seek their first home victory since opening weekend on Saturday night against Charlotte FC.

Christian Benteke scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season in last weekend's 3-1 win at Orlando City SC. It was the United's highest-scoring performance since an opening weekend win against Toronto.

Taxi Fountas and Donovan Pines also scored as D.C. strung together its first consecutive league wins of any sort since the first two games of the 2022 campaign.

A win over Charlotte would give D.C. United (3-4-2, 11 points) their first three-game league winning streak contained in a single season since October of 2020.

"I think we have to take (things) games by game," Benteke said this week. "Right now we are in a good mood and we came away from home with two wins in a row, so we want to do home as well. And just to keep pushing ourselves."

In the U.S. Open Cup, Yamil Asad scored from the penalty spot to lift D.C. to a 1-0 win over Richmond on Wednesday night to advance to the round of 32.

Charlotte FC (2-4-3, 9 points) also have been in better form, losing only once in their last six MLS games after suffering three consecutive defeats to open the season.

And Charlotte finally earned its first home win last Saturday 1-0 over the Columbus Crew. Karol Swiderski scored his second goal of the season in the 37th minute and Charlotte held on after Aidan Morris' apparent late equalizer was ruled offside.

"It was great seeing them getting the reward and to give the fans a good time," coach Christian Lattanzio said postgame. "This is always our aim. To get this place going because we know how much the supporters mean to us and how much they can give to the team."

Charlotte is also coming off a midweek Open Cup win, defeating Georgia Tormenta 4-1 on Tuesday night. But defender Bill Tuiloma and winger Kamil Jozwiak are both questionable for Saturday after leaving Tuesday's game early with thigh injuries.