DC Power FC is set to kick off the second half of the 2024/25 USL Super League season in a few weeks. Here’s what we can expect to see out of the club in the spring:
Finding its identity
Interim Head Coach Phil Nana, who made his debut with the team in its last match in December, will lead DC to start the spring and could potentially stay until the end of the season. Steven Birnbaum was also recently named as the club’s new Sporting Director. Nana and Birnbaum are taking on huge roles at a crucial part of the season and will be aiming to make an impact to vault the side into playoff contention. That could result in a very different-looking team than we saw in the fall. The first few matches will show if DC has found an identity that translates to results on the field.
Emphasis on defense
The majority of the 18 goals DC conceded in the first half of the season were due to defensive breakdowns and miscommunication. The home match against Brooklyn when the team allowed three goals in less than 15 minutes is a prime example of its defensive struggles. Once the team concedes one goal, it often concedes a second if not a third. DC’s focus should be on improving its defensive structure, especially when it has such talent like Susanna Fitch, Claire Constant and Madison Wolfbauer.
Strikers stepping up
DC Power was the only team to not reach the double-digit goal tally in the first half of the season. Its seven goals were almost half the total of seventh-ranked Spokane Zephyr, which finished with 13 goals. DC ranks fourth in shots and fourth in penalty area entries but is last in big chances created. Players like Loza Abera and Anna Bagley have shown their potential, but they need to connect on that final piece, which in turn would take some of the pressure off the defense.