United-Toronto FC Preview

D.C. United head coach hailed his side's team spirit and work ethic as their playoff chase concludes on the road against Toronto FC.

The Black-and-Red remain longshots to make the playoffs, currently sitting three points back of the postseason positions and relying on results going their way as they hope for New York Red Bulls and CF Montreal to drop points.

The visitors, though, are winless in six consecutive road fixtures but Losada preferred to focus on the positives ahead of Sunday.

"The players are giving their lives for each other," Losada said. "No player in our team has been selected for the MLS All-Star game, maybe because we haven't been as good this year.

"But I believe this big heart and experience is why we have come back and we deserve to win.

"They deserve a lot more compliments than what they got now. We are a family, we are a team who is willing to die for each other on the field."

Toronto have missed the postseason cut for the first time since 2018 and only have 28 points to their name.

The hosts did, however, advance to the Canadian Championship final with a 2-1 win over Pacific on Wednesday and head coach Javier Perez expressed his delight.

"It means everything," said Perez. "That's what this club is all about.

"It's a club that is used to fighting for titles, used to fighting for silverware, and in a very challenging season like this one to have the opportunity to play a final is all you can ask for.

"We had to come strong from the beginning because we knew that it was a difficult team, it was a resilient team, and they were not going to give up. That was the plan, just to put the game away early."

Toronto FC - Jozy Altidore

Jozy Altidore has now found the back of the net in three of his last four matches in all competitions - tying him with Jonathan Osorio at the top of the club charts with four goals each.

D.C. United - Paul Arriola

Paul Arriola recorded his sixth goal of the year against Columbus Crew, putting him in second on the team behind Ola Kamara (17).

●Toronto hasn't come out ahead after 90 minutes in any of the last nine meetings with D.C. United, finishing level seven times and losing twice. Toronto's lone win in that time was a 5-1 extra time victory after a finishing at 1-1 after 90 minutes in the 2019 playoffs.

●Toronto FC has just six wins this season, its fewest victories in a season since recording six victories in the 2013 season. The Reds had won at least 10 times in each of the previous seven seasons.

●D.C. United has lost five of its last six away matches, only claiming a road point at the Red Bulls since early August. Only the Dynamo (0) have fewer away wins than D.C. United (2) this season.

●Jonathan Osorio and Jozy Altidore are Toronto FC's leading scorers this season with four goals. Osorio hasn't scored since mid-August while Altidore has scored just one time as a starter this season.

●Three of the five goals D.C. United scored in October came in the opening 10 minutes of matches. D.C. has scored 12 goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season, most in MLS, while its 31 first-half goals are tied with New England for most in the league.

Updated November 5, 2021