Following the CONCACAF Champions' Cup draw on Friday, D.C. United has learned it will meet Honduran Club Deportivo Olimpia in the quarterfinal round of the 2007 tournament. United, who won the event in 1998, will travel to Honduras for the first leg, to be held Feb. 20-22, and return home for the second leg, likely to be held at RFK Stadium on either Feb. 28 or March 1.
Dates and times for the Champions' Cup quarterfinals are expected to be finalized by mid-December. It is possible both legs of the event will be broadcast via Fox Sports International.
This marks D.C. United's seventh apperance in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, more than any other MLS team. The Black-and-Red qualified for the event by winning the 2006 MLS Supporters' Shield with a league-best 15-7-10 record (55 pts.). D.C. won the 1998 Champions' Cup by defeating Mexican champions CD Toluca.
CD Olimpia reached the quarterfinal by knocking off Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa by a 4-2 aggregate score. Olimpia swept through the Liga Profesional de Honduras this season, winning both the 2005-2006 Apertura and Clausera titles and finishing the year with a combined record of 21-4-11. The Lions also have two previous CONCACAF Champions' Cup titles to their name, taking home the trophy in 1972 and 1988.
Should United advance, they will meet either Mexico's Apertura champion or the Caribbean Football Union champion. The first leg of the semifinal round is set for March 13-15, with the return leg held on April 3-5. The 2007 Champions' Cup final will begin on April 17-19, with the second leg to be played on April 24-26. The winner will qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan later in the year, with the runner-up receiving automatic entry into the 2007 Copa Nissan Sudamericana.
Young guns
Two of D.C. United's youth sides represented the club at the 2006 Super Y Finals, held last week in Tampa, Fla. United's U-13 and U-15 boys sides both registered impressive showings at the tournament, which features the top 16 teams in the nation from each age group. These teams were divided into four groups for the group stage, with the top team from each group advancing to the tournament's knockout round.
D.C.'s U-13 boys made it into the semifinal of their respective tournament, before falling 2-0 to hosts HC United. The Black-and-Red topped their group with seven points, winning their last two group stage matches over West Coast FC and BW Rhode Island after opening with a 1-1 draw to the New Jersey Junior Stallions.
United's U-15 boys missed out on qualifying for the knockout round by just one point, finishing second behind group-winners Chicago Magic. Their second-place finish did earn them a spot in the consolation matches, where they battled to a scoreless draw with Washington's Spokane Shadow. The team posted an impressive 2-1-1 record for the tournament, with their only loss coming to eventual champions Chicago.
French connection
United midfielder Brian Carroll's busy off-season continues in the south of France as he joins French side Olympique Marseille for a workout. The United midfielder joined up with the former European champions on Sunday and is expected to arrive stateside on Friday. Marseille currently sits in seventh place in the French Ligue 1 with a 7-5-3 record on the year.
Prior to his stop in Marseille, Carroll spent time with German Bundesliga newcomers Alemannia Aachen.
Adu abroad
D.C. United midfielder Freddy Adu will continue to work out with English Premier League powerhouse Manchester United this week. The 17-year old Adu is expected to return home this coming weekend.
