Since adding F Wayne Rooney in July, DC United have won five of their last eight matchesgetty images
DC United is "engaged in talks with both a club team and a national team from Central America about friendlies this fall at Audi Field," according to sources cited by Steven Goff of the WASHINGTON POST. If deals are struck, DC United "would play Honduran side Olimpia on Sept. 20 and El Salvador’s national team Oct. 3." This would "bring nonleague events to the new stadium in Southwest Washington," and "increase outreach to the DC area’s large Central American community." DC United used to play midseason friendlies every year but "hasn’t scheduled any" since facing EPL club Fulham in July '14 in Jacksonville. The international events are "part of United’s increasing efforts to fill dates" at the new Audi Field. The first non-MLS game will "take place Saturday night when the Washington Spirit hosts the Portland Thorns" in an NWSL match. On Labor Day, the Univ. of Maryland and Virginia men’s soccer teams "will clash there." DC United also is in talks with Howard Univ. about "playing its homecoming football game at the venue" starting in '19, and is "eyeing rugby matches, concerts and other college, pro and international soccer opportunities" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/21).
SUMMER HEAT: In DC, Adam Zielonka writes DC United is "surprisingly" one of the "hottest teams" in MLS. Zielonka: "Most importantly, they've started winning again." They are 4-0-1 in their last five games and 5-1-0 "all-time at Audi Field." The team recently added F Wayne Rooney from the EPL, and DC United GK Bill Hamid said, "I’ve had a lot of friends that usually go to Wizards games and Caps games and Nationals games and rarely ever come to DC United games. Now -- my phone’s off the hook now. I’m getting calls here and there for tickets. It’s like a DC United game is the hottest ticket in town right now." Zielonka notes nine of the team's last 12 regular-season matches "come at Audi Field, where they are establishing a comfortable home-field advantage" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 8/21).
