Loons vs D.C. United preview: Both sides await exciting newcomers

7 p.m. vs. D.C. United * BSN, The CW Twin Cities, 1500-AM

Preview

The Loons are 8-8-4 — including 4-3-3 at home — after Wednesday's 1-1 home draw with Sporting Kansas City ended a three-game winning streak. D.C. United is just 5-10-3, including 2-5-1 on the road, but has just brought in its former player and former Premier League superstar Wayne Rooney as its new coach. "The new manager coming in will give them a bounce, I would expect. They've changed the shape. They've changed the manager. I think it's a little bit of a different D.C. than it might have been a couple weeks ago," said Loons coach Adrian Heath. … The two teams have met only four times, with each team winning twice … The Loons are still waiting for newly signed right back Alan Benitez's immigration paperwork and don't expect it done by Saturday's game. Heath said the club is "still waiting again" in its bid to sign Colombian forward Mender Garcia. "We're in the hands of the immigration in all this and there's not an awful lot you can do." … D.C. United on Friday traded Julian Gressel to Vancouver for as much as $900,000 in general allocation money.

Injuries

Heath said Friday starting central midfielder Kervin Arriaga's ankle is improved, but not enough for him to play just yet. "At least another week, I would think," Heath said. Niko Hansen, Romain Metanire and Tani Oluwaseyi are all out with thigh injuries and Hassani Dotson and Patrick Weah are out for the season. D.C. United list Adrien Perez (foot), Bill Hamid (hand), Brad Smith (knee) and Ola Kamara (glute) as out, and Russell Canouse (thigh) and Jose Alfaro (ankle) as questionable.