“The fact we are playing well and are fairly healthy I think gives us a real shot to at least make a run,” United Coach Ben Olsen said. “But still it’s a one-off game [next Wednesday or Thursday]. If you don’t show up, you’re done.”

United is unbeaten in six straight (4-0-2) and has lost once in three months (6-1-6). The only defeat was a strange one: D.C. scored a stoppage-time equalizer against New York City FC on Sept. 1 at Yankee Stadium, then conceded a late match-winner. Olsen’s gang has gone from one of MLS’s feeblest attacks to one of its most lethal: 31 goals in 12 matches after 10 in the previous 13.

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United’s challenge, to reach MLS Cup on Dec. 10, is heightened by a first-round game. Should it advance to the two-leg conference semifinals, D.C. would have a third match over seven or eight days. Only two teams per conference will receive first-round byes and up to seven days to prepare for the conference semis. Since MLS implemented first-round matches in 2011, though, two teams have come out of the early stage to reach the championship game (Houston in 2012 and Portland last year) and one has won it all (Portland).

The Insider scanned the previous 12 seasons to examine the late-season form of teams that went on to win MLS Cup and those that failed to convert regular season form into playoff joy.

What we found is that all 12 champions enjoyed good to great results down the stretch before navigating the postseason and lifting the trophy.

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2004: D.C. United (5-1-0)

2005: L.A. Galaxy (3-2-1)

2006: Houston Dynamo (2-0-4)

2007: Houston Dynamo (5-1-3)

2008: Columbus Crew (7-1-3)

2009: Real Salt Lake (4-3-1)

2010: Colorado Rapids (3-1-3)

2011: L.A. Galaxy (7-2-1)

2012: L.A. Galaxy (6-1-3)

2013: Sporting Kansas City (6-1-1)

2014: L.A. Galaxy (8-2-3)

2015: Portland Timbers (4-1-0)

How did other strong regular season finishers fare in the playoffs? Remarkably, many teams in great form didn’t even advance to the conference finals:

2004: Columbus Crew (8-0-10, lost in conference semis)

2005: San Jose Earthquakes (11-0-3, lost in conference semis)

2006: New England Revolution (5-0-2, lost in MLS Cup on penalties)

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2007: Chivas USA (7-1-5, lost in conference semis)

2008: Sporting Kansas City (5-1-1, lost in conference semis)

2009: Seattle Sounders (4-1-3, lost in conference semis)

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2010: Seattle Sounders (5-1-1, lost in conference semis)

2011: Seattle Sounders (8-2-1, lost in conference semis)

2012: San Jose Earthquakes (5-0-4, lost in conference semis)

2013: New York Red Bulls (6-0-2, lost in conference semis)

2014: Columbus Crew (6-1-1, lost in conference semis)

2015: Montreal Impact (7-2-2, lost in conference semis)

This year, United isn’t the only surging team: The New York Red Bulls are 8-0-7, while the Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas and Seattle Sounders are 4-1-2. On the down side, the playoff-bound Philadelphia Union is 0-4-2, Real Salt Lake is 0-3-3 and Toronto 0-1-4.

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United will finish fourth or fifth in the Eastern Conference and face the Montreal Impact or Philadelphia on Oct. 26 or 27. If United takes fourth, it will host the playoff match. If D.C. slips to fifth, it will visit Montreal. (Philadelphia cannot finish fourth.)

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United would clinch fourth place with a victory, a Montreal defeat, or a loss combined with a Montreal draw as DCU wins the second tiebreaker, goal differential. (The first tiebreaker is total victories.)

Playing at RFK Stadium would be advantageous for United, which is on a 6-0-3 spurt at home with a 25-9 goal differential.

“We are a tough team to play against, on the road or at home,” captain Bobby Boswell said. “Obviously at home we are a little bit of a different beast, so it would be good to have home-field advantage. I don’t think anyone wants to come here and play.”

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MLS will not set the days and times of the four first-round playoff matches until after the completion of Sunday’s regular season finales; all 10 games will kick off at 4 p.m. ET.

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Midfielder Marcelo Sarvas (knee), defender Sean Franklin (calf) and defender Kofi Opare (concussion) are training with the full squad. Franklin is further along than Sarvas, and the club was expecting Opare to clear protocol this week. Because of their long absences, none would figure into Olsen’s immediate plans, but all three could be in uniform at some point in the playoffs.

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With an assist Sunday, Luciano Acosta is now tied for seventh in MLS with 11, the most by a United player since Jaime Moreno posted 14 in 2004. Moreno also had 11 in 2006. Dwayne De Rosario recorded 12 in 2012, but five were with two other teams before he arrived in Washington.

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United has climbed to fifth in team goals (51), fourth in assists (53), second in shots (14.0 per game) and seventh in shots on goal (4.85). The club is also first in fouls committed (15.1 per game), fourth in yellow cards (65) and second in offside violations (92).

United leads the league in goals scored between the 31st and 45th minutes (12) and those scored after the 75th minute (17).

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Boswell is sporting a bandaged right cheek, cut open by Jefferson Mena’s head an instant after the DCU center back scored the second goal Sunday at RFK. Stitches required?

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“They told me three, but I counted four. Either I am really dumb or they are really dumb. I’m hoping it’s me,” Boswell said. “Things like that happen. You don’t always get to say it was on a goal.”

Boswell, on his first-half cross to defensive partner Steve Birnbaum for a volley that streaked wide: