On the heels of the 2004 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game, D.C. United is giving season ticket holders another special treat. Starting Wednesday, season ticket holders can get tickets for the U.S. men's national team's World Cup qualifying match against Panama to be played on Wednesday, Oct. 13 at RFK Stadium.
After handling the tiny island nation of Grenada in the first stages of qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the United States men's national team advanced to the semi-final round of CONCACAF qualifying. The Panama match is one of six matches the U.S. will play in the semifinal round as the team takes on Panama, El Salvador and Jamaica in home-and-home series with hopes of advancing to the final qualifying phase next year. The top two teams in the group advance.
D.C. United planholders will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets for this match and are also eligible for special price break. Beginning Wednesday, tickets for the match will be available for all current season ticket planholders.
The discount for planholders is valid through Friday, September 3rd at 5:00 p.m., but tickets will go on sale to the general public on August 17th. An advance ticket purchase will guarantee first choice seating for this match, expected to be an exciting one. Although D.C. United cannot guarantee exact seating location for this match, every effort will be made to keep planholders as close as possible to their current seat.
To purchase tickets for this match, planholders should contact their current ticket sales representative or call D.C. United Customer Service. For more information on becoming a D.C. United season ticket holder, visit www.dcunited.com or call 202-587-5000.
On the Mend
With the All-Star break, several of D.C. United's players had an opportunity to take a much needed bit of rest and relaxation, helping with the recuperative process. Defenders Mike Petke and Brandon Prideaux and midfielders Nana Kuffour and Ben Olsen returned to full training with the Black-and-Red this week.
With four players returning to full health, United's injury worries have lessened, albeit not completely eliminated. Also taking advantage of the break was goalkeeper Nick Rimando. He underwent a medial meniscectomy on his right knee and is expected to return to full training in two to three weeks. Thiago Martins, Eliseo Quintanilla, Santino Quaranta and Ryan Nelsen remain in the recovery process from a variety of surgical procedures.
United Reserves?
With Commissioner Don Garber's announcement last week of the creation of a youth training system for Major League Soccer, the training sessions taking place this week at the RFK Stadium campus might be mistaken as the Black-and-Red getting a large head start.
The training session taking place alongside the first team is merely the latest efforts of John Harkes, Director of Youth Development. The Elite Academy is the most prestigious of the camps offered this summer by D.C. United. During the weeklong camp, participants train in the same facilities as the Black-and-Red first team, learning from the best coaches in the Washington, DC area.
