WASHINGTON - From Marco Etcheverry, Carlos Llamosa and Christian Gomez to the evergreen Jaime Moreno, South Americans have loomed large in D.C. United's 10-year history. So it's fitting that United's next step on the path toward being one of the world's elite clubs comes Tuesday when the team takes the field against Chilean club Universidad Catolica at RFK Stadium in the Nissan Copa Sudamericana's round of 16.
D.C. will feel honored to be the first U.S. side ever to participate in the tournament, a sort of South American version of the UEFA Cup in Europe, but the match comes at an awkward time in United's dwindling schedule, as the jockeying for playoff position in the tightly packed Eastern Conference intensifies.
Yet while many coaches in his position might see this international fixture as a nuisance, United's Peter Nowak has a more ambitious view.
"It's going to be very, very difficult," said Nowak of his squad's Sudamericana adventure. But the former Polish international is eager to showcase his side to a broader audience: "MLS games are OK, but we also want to [be] on the international stage, showing that D.C. United can play soccer."
United have a tall task ahead if they wish to carry the MLS banner any deeper into the knockout tournament. After having comfortably won the Chilean Primera Division's Apertura (spring season) in May, Catolica has raced out to first place in the Clausura with an unblemished record of six wins and two draws in eight matches and has yet to concede a goal.
But the Black-and-Red have made a habit out of confounding observers lately, reeling off a six-game overall winning streak in midsummer only to immediately plunge in the opposite direction with five losses in their next six matches, including last-minute, gut-wrenching losses to FC Dallas (in the U.S. Open Cup) and New England.
Some observers described it as one of the franchise's darkest periods ever, but Saturday's gritty 2-1 league win at Dallas - even with veteran leaders Moreno and Ben Olsen suspended - showed a glimpse of United's resiliency.
"It was heartbreak, man," said Freddy Adu, referring to his team's late-August struggles. "It's supposed to just completely knock the team down, but not D.C. United, man - not D.C. United. You can just see it in the guys' eyes, everybody has so much confidence - no matter what. No matter what, we just go out there and fight for everybody."
As would be expected in a cup competition, Catolica will look to maintain their stingy defensive ways in the first leg and try to sneak an away goal to take back to their San Carlos de Apoquindo home in Santiago. If their 5-0 thrashing of Peruvian outfit Alianza in the Sudamericana second round is any indicator, that intimate ground will not be a hospitable place for United in the second leg next Thursday.
D.C. learned a harsh lesson in a similar situation earlier this season when they hosted Mexico's Pumas UNAM in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals, missing plenty of chances in a 1-1 draw at RFK before being mauled 5-0 in the return leg in Mexico City.
But United's defense has shown improved intensity of late, buoyed by new signing Facundo Erpen's smooth transition to the North American game. The Argentinean made his first start at center back in Dallas, keeping the back line organized and scoring his first MLS goal off a Christian Gomez corner kick.
"He's done well," said fellow defender Brandon Prideaux. "He's a real solid defender, he's smart and reads the game well. He's fit in perfectly. He definitely makes our team better and it's great to have a bunch of quality defenders now. We've got depth, and that's so important."
Erpen, Gomez and Moreno are particularly aware of the possibilities brought by the Copa Sudamericana throughout Latin America, but the entire team knows about the critical importance of earning quality results at this point in the season.
"It's very important for the club and the players because some great clubs are involved and we'll compete at a high level where we also will learn about highly competitive football that is played is those other countries," Erpen said.
United have just three home matches left in the regular season, including visits from the Crew and the MetroStars, both of whom are desperately trying close the gap in the East. United fans can only hope for a win over Catolica to consolidate United's momentum into the postseason, rather than setting off a four-game winless streak like the one that followed the Pumas defeat.
NOTE: Fans at the match or watching on Fox Soccer Channel (live, 8 p.m. ET) will notice some different numbers than usual for the United players. Tournament regulations from CONMEBOL - the South American confederation running the tournament - allow only for numbers 1 through 25, so for example Jaime Moreno will not be his now-familiar 99, but rather in jersey number 7.
Other changes: Bobby Boswell (2), John Wilson (3), Bryan Namoff (8), Shawn Kuykendall (11), Andrew Weber (12), Matt Nickell (20).
