D.C. UNITED vs. COLORADO RAPIDS
RFK STADIUM, Washington, D.C.
March 20, 2016 (WEEK 3, MLS GAME #29)
5 pm ET (ESPN2, MLS LIVE)
Two clubs coming off buoying results in their last matches meet when D.C. United start off their home season with a match against the Colorado Rapids on Sunday afternoon at RFK Stadium before an ESPN2 audience. United last weekend rebounded from an opening day loss at the LA Galaxy with a scoreless draw at the New England Revolution. The Rapids also overcame a season-opening loss last weekend in dramatic fashion, with a last-gasp 1-0 victory against the LA Galaxy at home.
- Goalkeeper Travis Worra recorded a shutout in his first MLS start, as United reached a scoreless draw with the New England Revolution on Saturday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. Worra had made one league appearance before the match, coming on for the final 32 minutes of a 2-1 win at Vancouver Whitecaps FC last April 25.
- The Rapids netted their first goal of the season in dramatic style, Marco Pappa hitting a screaming volley five minutes deep into stoppage time to give his new team a 1-0 win against the LA Galaxy on Saturday afternoon at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. A year ago, the Rapids went 361 minutes before scoring their first goal of the year.
- United are undefeated in the last five meetings in the series, with two victories and three draws, dating back to May 14, 2011, after the teams reached a 1-1 draw in their only meeting last year, Sept. 12 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
- United have won the last two meetings between the teams at RFK Stadium. Both teams had gone more than a decade between wins at the other’s home, before winning there in 2010. Colorado’s win in Washington was their first in the nation’s capital since 1999. United’s win in Colorado was their first in the Centennial State since 2000.
REFEREE: Chris Penso. AR1 (bench): C.J. Morgante; AR2 (opposite): Gianni Facchini; 4th: Geoff Gamble
MLS Career: 79 games; FC/gm: 24.0; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 26; pens: 29
SUSPENDED: COL: Jermaine Jones (through April 13); Shkelzen Gashi (through March 20)
DISABLED LIST: DC: Bill Hamid
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (40 meetings): United 18 wins (2 shootout), 66 goals … Rapids 13 wins (1 shootout), 51 goals … Ties 9
AT RFK (20 meetings): United 12 wins (1 shootout), 42 goals … Rapids 3 wins (1 shootout), 18 goals … Ties 5
LAST YEAR (MLS):
9/12: COL 1, DC 1 (Burling 28 – Birnbaum 87)
- This is the only league meeting between the teams this season.
- United are undefeated in the last five meetings in the series, with two victories and three draws, dating back to May 14, 2011, after the teams reached a 1-1 draw in their only meeting last year, Sept. 12 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
- United have won the last two meetings between the teams at RFK Stadium. Both teams had gone more than a decade between wins at the other’s home, before winning there in 2010. Colorado’s win in Washington was their first in the nation’s capital since 1999. United’s win in Colorado was their first in the Centennial State since 2000.
- Coaches record: Ben Olsen vs. COL: P7 W3 L1 D3 … Pablo Mastroeni vs. DC: P2 W0 L1 D1
