D.C. United hosted nearly 150 people from Ward 8 at a pre-game reception on Aug. 19. Through the club's 501(c)3 foundation, United for D.C., the team has targeted several of it's signature community-based programs towards those in need living east of the Potomac River.
The event was held in the VIP Lounge at RFK Stadium from 2:30-4 p.m. ET and included catered food and a special welcome from D.C. United President and CEO Kevin Payne. Those in attendance received goodie-bags with a hat and a voucher for two tickets to the D.C. United regular season home game of their choice. Everyone stayed to watch D.C. United's game at 4 p.m., as the Black-and-Red played to a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids.
Quarterfinal
On Wednesday, United will host the New York Red Bulls at 7:30 p.m. ET in a quarterfinal match of the U.S. Open Cup. United hold a 23-15-5 all-time regular season record against New York and have played to a 2-2 draw, a 4-1 win and a 0-0 draw with the Red Bulls this season with one more match to go on Sep. 23 between the two teams.
This particular match-p has an interesting side story, as several former members of D.C. United are now wearing the Red Bull logo. Head Coach Bruce Arena coached United from 1996-1998 and will be making his first return to D.C. as an opposing coach. His assistant coaches, Richie Williams and John Harkes, played for United in the past, and Harkes most recently served as United's director of youth development.
The Red Bulls also have three former United players on their roster, but none of them will be playing in Wednesday's match. Dema Kovalenko is ineligible for the game after receiving a red card as a member of United in last year's Open Cup loss to FC Dallas, while Shawn Kuykendall is out for the season with a torn ACL. Mark Lisi, who played with United during 2001 and part of 2002, will also be unavailable due to a right adductor strain.
A win on Wednesday puts United in the semifinals, where they would meet the winner of the New England Revolution-Chicago Fire matchup. Regardless of which team advances out of that meeting, United would play the semifinal round on the road.
United alumni
Three former United players started play for their current club teams abroad this past weekend. On Saturday, midfielder Bobby Convey helped Reading defeat Middlesbrough 3-2 in his club's first ever English Premier League game after being promoted from the second tier Football League Championship last year. Convey started and played 83 minutes in the match with one shot on goal.
The Blackburn Rovers, Ryan Nelsen's club team, also began Premier League play on Saturday, but the club was not as fortunate as Reading, falling 3-0 to Portsmouth. Nelsen was unable to play in the match due to injury.
Forward Lucio Filomeno, who left United earlier this season, returned to the Argentine first division as a member of Nueva Chicago, where he started his professional career. Filomeno started and played the full match on Saturday, but Nueva Chicago lost 2-0 to Arsenal de Sarandí.
U-13s to nationals
The U-13 D.C. United Super Y-League team qualified for the National Super Y final this November in Tampa, Fla. The team finished on top of the South Atlantic region with a 9-2-2 record, and scored 43 goals while conceding only 14. Forward Olakunle Banjo, a native of Prince George, Md., led the way for United, tallying a region-best 21 goals. The team, which is coached by former United star Judah Cooks and former George Washington standout Matt Pilkenton, readies itself for the tough competition in Florida.
"This team is a very special group of players," said Cooks. "We are looking forward to playing the nation's best teams and competing for the national championship."
