After opening their league campaign with three lackluster losses, D.C. United found themselves badly adrift in the Eastern Conference race as their rivals in New York and New England raced out to strong starts.
In addition to some significant lineup tinkering, head coach Tom Soehn regrouped his charges by focusing their sights on a subsequent string of nine games in which he believed the team could reverse its fortunes. That approach has paid dividends as United notched a 6-2-1 record to clamber back into contention in the tightly-contested East.
"It was just a nine-game stretch after the first three where we felt like we could come out and really set a precedent, and I thought we did that," said Soehn. "Obviously we slipped a little in Salt Lake, but overall I was real happy with that nine-game stretch. You set smaller goals before you set the big ones, and that was our goal: to make sure we had a chance to compete for the top spot after nine games."
Now that D.C. has clambered to the top of the conference standings thanks to Wednesday's opportune 1-0 win against the Kansas City Wizards, those April woes seem just a distant memory.
"We've played with a lot more fire, more passion and a lot more intensity," said midfielder Brian Carroll, "and when we do that, our skill and possession take over and help us out tremendously. So, I think part of that is due to that, and part of it is just individuals picking up their game. Everyone has picked up their game individually, and it's helped the team collectively."
But six of those nine games were played at RFK Stadium, where United have traditionally prospered in the lively atmosphere created by their passionate home fans. Over the next two months, the team will play seven league matches away and take two additional road trips for SuperLiga and U.S. Open Cup duty.
With a 2-3-1 league record away from RFK, United have been mediocre on the road so far - and the rigors of long flights and hotel living will only be exacerbated by the draining heat of July and August. But the Black-and-Red point out that it pales in comparison to their arduous preseason, which featured two international trips for CONCACAF Champions' Cup action.
"It's totally different," said Soehn. "There, we were gone for three weeks at a time. This is a couple of days and you're back home. Most of these guys have done it for a long time, so it's not a big issue."
Some coaches assert that the regimented schedule of travel helps teams focus on the task at hand. But for many players, away games mean extra dead time that can quickly become monotonous if not correctly managed.
"We go to movies occasionally, and just kind of lay low and get good food in us," said winger Justin Moose, an avid musician who takes a Seagull acoustic guitar on road trips. He even taught goalkeeper Jay Nolly, his road roommate, a few chords during D.C.'s preseason camp in Guadalajara.
"I actually taught him how to play a song," said Moose. "We recorded it in Mexico and sent it to his fiancé, and she got a big kick out of that."
United's travels continue with a tough match in Houston this weekend against streaking Dynamo, who can call on the Bayou City's oppressive summer climate for a home-field advantage. But while they wait for several starters to return from injury and international duty, D.C. can look to its close-run victory in Kansas City as a blueprint: opportune finishing, dogged defending and clinical netminding from reigning MLS goalkeeper of the year Troy Perkins.
"It's a tough stretch of away games, but if we keep our right mindset and keep playing our game, it shouldn't hurt too much going on the road," said Carroll. "Yes, it's more hostile situations and sometimes it doesn't bounce your way on the road, but if we can play our game and do the things that make us a good team, I think we shouldn't have to suffer that much."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. David Lifton also contributed to this story, which was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
