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Old Glory break in their new home on Saturday afternoon when they welcome the Hounds to Maryland SoccerPlex. DC are coming off an inspired come-from-behind win over defending champs New England while Chicago were underwhelming in their road loss against Utah.
| CURRENT STANDINGS |
1-1-0 (W1) East 3rd
1-1-0 (L1) East 4th
| LINEUP CHANGES |
1 Jack Iscaro replaces Quentin Newcomer
11 Perry Humphreys replaces Ishmail Shabazz
14 Axel Müller replaces John Rizzo
15 Damien Hoyland replaces Gradyn Bowd
17 Joe Wrafter replaces Jack Iscaro
22 Gradyn Bowd replaces Palema Roberts
1 Fred Apulu replaces Zura Zhvania
2 Guillermo Pujadas replaces Dylan Fawsitt
3 Ignacio Péculo replaces Paddy Ryan
4 Mason Flesch replaces George Merrick
6 Conall Boomer replaces Mason Flesch
7 Maclean Jones replaces Lucas Rumball
13 Cassh Maluia replaces Mark O’Keeffe
14 Dave Kearney replaces Julián Domínguez
16 Dylan Fawsitt replaces Guillermo Pujadas
17 Zura Zhvania replaces Fred Apulu
18 Paddy Ryan replaces Ignacio Péculo
20 Tinashe Muchena replaces Conall Boomer
22 Caolan Dooley replaces Luke Carty
23 Noah Brown replaces Maclean Jones
| CLUB DEBUTS |
(3) – Axel Müller*, Damien Hoyland*, Joe Wrafter*
(3) – Cassh Maluia*, Caolan Dooley*, Noah Brown*
*MLR debut
| CAPPED INTERNATIONALS |
(9) – Iscaro, Fa’anana-Schultz, Daniel, Boni (USA), Rowland, Bowd (Canada), Harley, Hoyland (Scotland), Dotti (Uruguay)
(12) – Pujadas, Péculo (Uruguay), Flesch, Higgins (Canada), White, McCarthy, Augspurger, Campbell, Fawsitt, Ryan (USA), Kearney (Ireland), Zhvania (Georgia)
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Facundo Gattas (LH/HO), Danny Tusitala (SH), Mike Dabulas (FB)
– George Merrick (LO), Ben Landry (LO/FL), Lucas Rumball (FL), Mark O’Keeffe (CE), Julián Domínguez (WI)
| NOTES |
- only four of DC’s starters were with the team last season, all of them forwards… Jason Robertson is the only backline member who had played for the club previously, but not since 2021
- high profile signings Axel Müller and Damien Hoyland will make their debuts for Old Glory… Muller starred on the World Sevens circuit with Argentina before playing professionally in France… Hoyland is a Scotland international in both 7s and XVs
- Fred Apulu gets his first MLR start for the Hounds… the 27-year-old is US-eligible but previously represented Samoa at u20 level, when he played in the backs… Apulu then moved to Hawai’i and switched to the back row before ‘graduating’ to the front row with the LA Giltinis in 2022
- former American Raptors center Cassh Maluia makes his MLR debut for Chicago… the 25-year-old spent one season in the NFL as a linebacker and special teams player with the New England Patriots
- former Ireland winger Dave Kearney is set to make his anticipated debut… he had nearly 200 appearances for European giants Leinster before departing last year… last year’s All-Ireland League Player of the Year Caolan Dooley should make his first appearance off the bench along with USA Sevens cap Noah Brown
| PREDICTION |
The upgrades out wide are a significant boost to Old Glory’s backline, and their starting pack is effectively at full strength. Chicago have rung the changes after the subpar showing at Salt Lake, but there remains questions over their ability to unleash their backs. Old Glory have more buzz around them this week and will be desperate to perform in their home opener. DC are slight favorites.
| LINEUPS |
OLD GLORY DC
1 Jack Iscaro, 2 Martín Vaca, 3 Tyler Rowland, 4 Rob Harley, 5 Ignacio Dotti, 6 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (capt.), 7 Cory Daniel, 8 Lautaro Bavaro, 9 Ethan McVeigh, 10 Jason Robertson, 11 Perry Humphreys, 12 Tommaso Boni, 13 John Powers, 14 Axel Müller, 15 Damien Hoyland
Replacements: 16 KoiKoi Nelligan, 17 Joe Wrafter, 18 Cali Martinez, 19 Bill Whiteside, 20 Collin Grosse, 21 Connor Buckley, 22 Gradyn Bowd, 23 William Talataina
CHICAGO HOUNDS
1 Fred Apulu, 2 Guillermo Pujadas, 3 Ignacio Péculo, 4 Mason Flesch, 5 James Scott, 6 Conall Boomer, 7 Maclean Jones, 8 Luke White, 9 Nick McCarthy, 10 Billy Meakes (capt.), 11 Nate Augspurger, 12 Bryce Campbell, 13 Cassh Maluia, 14 Dave Kearney, 15 Adriaan Carelse
Replacements: 16 Dylan Fawsitt, 17 Zura Zhvania, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Brad Tucker, 20 Tinashe Muchena, 21 Jason Higgins, 22 Caolan Dooley, 23 Noah Brown
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, March 16
Venue: Maryland Soccerplex, Germantown
Kickoff: 16:00 local (13:00 Pacific, 15:00 Central)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 63°F (17°C), wind SW 6-9mph (11-16km/h)
Broadcasts: Marquee Sports Plus, Monumental Sports, The Rugby Network
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistants: Peter Pender (Canada) & Aaron Davis (USA)
TMO: Austin Reed (USA)
| HISTORY |
HEAD-TO-HEAD (1) – DC 1, Chicago 0
2023-02-18 – Old Glory DC 42, Chicago Hounds 27 (Segra Field)
