Between league games and SuperLiga play, D.C. United's crowded schedule has averaged out to around a match every four days since the end of July. So the 10-day break that follows Wednesday night's clash with Real Salt Lake will be welcomed by many at RFK Stadium, as long as the Black-and-Red earn a positive result against a Real side that has lately enjoyed remarkable success against United.
"Yeah, it's going to be nice -- when we go out with a win," said defender Bryan Namoff of the impending respite. "I think that's what we're focusing on right now. We're at home, and what better way to take on a break, especially 10 days, than to go out not only with a victory, but really going out and winning the game in the first half -- just going out strong and making it easy on ourselves."
Languishing in the Western Conference basement for most of the season, Real have won just four matches all year and can claim only one road victory -- but that should mean little to a United side that has repeatedly been upset in this matchup. After sweeping RSL with two wins by an aggregate score of 8-2 in the Utah club's inaugural season two years ago, D.C. has gone winless in their last three meetings with Real, including a 2-1 loss at Rice-Eccles Stadium in July.
United's busy calendar presents another complicating factor for head coach Tom Soehn. The squad had to fight through tired legs to secure Sunday's 4-2 win against the New England Revolution, so it was little surprise that Soehn and his staff supervised an abbreviated training session in wet conditions at the RFK auxiliary fields on Tuesday. With their eight-game unbeaten streak on the line, the first-year boss is urging his team to maintain focus.
"The run that we've been on, it doesn't mean anything if we now let it slip," said Soehn. "I've always said that talent gets you to the top, but character keeps you there. That means beating the good teams and getting yourself up for the teams at the bottom of the table, because those are the ones that can slip in. So we've got to do a good job of keeping our mentality right."
For all their struggles, RSL is still mathematically eligible for the postseason and that figures to make United's task that much more difficult.
"We should continue to keep pressing forward, but this is a hot team right now," said D.C. midfielder Ben Olsen. "They're a team that has not had the greatest season, but they're starting to kind of figure themselves out a little bit. That's a dangerous thing, especially when there's still hope for playoff spots. They're going to come strong, I know."
Real will be led by several United alumni on Wednesday night. Nick Rimando and Alecko Eskandarian return to the nation's capital for the first time in an opposing uniform, while retiring defender Eddie Pope -- forever etched in United history thanks to his game-winning goal in MLS Cup '96 -- will be honored in a tribute marking his final career appearance at RFK.
"A lot of those guys have played in RFK many times, be it Eddie or Alecko or Nicky, and you know those three are going to play their best game -- that's just how it works," said Olsen. "So we've got to be ready for that, and just continue to approach the game the same way we've been approaching them, and that's be confident and work together defensively as a team -- and hopefully the goal-scoring stuff will continue."
D.C. captain Jaime Moreno will miss the match due to international duty with Bolivia, leaving Soehn with an important spot to fill at the striker position alongside red-hot Luciano Emilio. Fred is expected move up from midfield to partner with his countryman, though Guy-Roland Kpene could conceivably earn the nod despite his recent dearth of first-team action.
After scoring four goals in United's last two matches, Emilio remains atop the MLS Golden Boot race with 18 tallies overall, and has moved within striking distance of the club scoring record of 23, set by Raul Diaz Arce in 1997. On Tuesday, both he and Soehn dismissed recent media reports suggesting that the prolific Brazilian was seeking to cash in on his stellar season with a move to greener pastures.
"My intention was to stay here and play," said Emilio. "Obviously, right now I'm just concentrating on this year, but I feel comfortable here and I do want to come back. But we'll just talk at the end of the season with the club."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
