2011 D.C. United regular season
Encyclopedia
The 2011 D.C. United regular season pertains to all Major League Soccer
regular season matches played during the 2011 D.C. United season
. United's regular season started on March 19, 2011 against Columbus Crew
and concluded on October 22, 2011 against Sporting Kansas City. D.C. United finished the MLS regular season with a 9–12–12 record (wins–losses–draws), thus finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference and twelfth in the overall standings, failing to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs for a record-breaking fourth consecutive season.
, and with that, naming their captain for the campaign. On March 16, 2011, Head Coach Ben Olsen
named Dax McCarty
the club captain.
United opened the MLS regular season on March 19, 2011. Their campaign opened in strong fashion, amassing a 3–1 victory over Eastern Conference foes, Columbus Crew
. In the match, two of United's recent acquisitions tallied the three goals on the scoresheet; two for Charlie Davies
, who came on as a 55th minute substitute, and one for Josh Wolff
. The goals for Davies were his first since August 12, 2009; when he scored for the U.S. national team
in their 1–2 loss against Mexico
in Estadio Azteca
. The lone blemish for the Black-and-Red that evening was a converted penalty kick by long-time Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers
in the 83rd minute.
Following their opening victory, the United traveled up north to take on New England Revolution
on March 26. The United would fall into a 2–0 hole early in the match, with some citing poor officiating as the cause. A late penalty kick goal from Charlie Davies resulted in a 2–1 loss for the United.
champions, Colorado Rapids
at their home ground, DSG Park on April 2. The match was almost postponed due to snow earlier in the day. However, the match was still called on, as a smaller crowd of around 9,000 braved the wintry conditions. The match saw Colorado take a first half lead off recently purchased Irish-international Caleb Folan
. In the 67th minute of play, the United leveled the score thanks to a strike from Santino Quaranta
, making it the first time in the season the defending MLS champions were tied, when the score was no 0-0. The tie was short-lived, as the Rapids immediately struck back with a 68th minute goal from Scottish-international Jamie Smith. Ten minutes later, Folan gave the Rapids a 3-1 lead, and in injury time, Jamaican-international Omar Cummings
gave a sucker punch goal, resulting in a 4–1 defeat for United to the Rapids.
By finishing in 16th in MLS last season, United were not guaranteed an MLS berth in the 2011 edition of the U.S. Open Cup. Therefore, they will have to qualify for one of two spots against teams that finished in 7th place or below in MLS last season.
On February 28, 2011, MLS announced that for their qualification, United would play the Philadelphia Union in a play-in game for U.S. Open Cup qualification. The decision for United to play the Union was due to the Union's proximity to United, and their relative record during the 2010 season. The match will be played April 6, 2011 at the Maryland SoccerPlex
. United hosts the Union due to winning a coin flip. The winner of the D.C.-Philadelphia match will host New England Revolution
in the second phase of MLS qualification. That match is expected to be played in late April 2011.
on April 9. In their previous meeting, the United took a lead midway in the second half, before Galaxy captain, Landon Donovan
scored two goals late in the game to give the Galaxy a 2-1 win. The match peaked interest across the region, as a crowd of 26,222 turned up for the game, United's largest league match crowd in over three years. The game itself ended in a 1–1 draw, with the Galaxy scoring the first goal, a Mike Magee
header off of a David Beckham
corner in the 12th minute. United equalized late into match, in the second minute of stoppage time, thanks to a Charlie Davies
penalty kick, his fourth in MLS league play and his fifth with D.C. United.
The match itself swirled around controversy between Abiodun Okulaja's (the center referee) calls and officiating. The most questionable calls were associated the severity of cards distributed to players and a late-match decision to award a penalty kick to the United, in which many claimed was a fake trip in the box. One controversial call came from a reckless challenge by Galaxy midfielder, Beckham, to United forward, Josh Wolff
in the 40th minute. Following the referee stopping play to call the foul, a verbal exchange between Beckham and United's Santino Quaranta
resulted in a swarm of United and Galaxy players coming in to push the two apart. While Quaranta was not carded for his exchange with Beckham, Beckham was carded for his foul against Wolff. in the 37th minute and Davies' penalty kick in the 91st. The goal received much national attention from the controversy surrounding the decision to award a penalty, and Davies' celebration for successfully converting the kick. Subsequent to the match, center referee Abiodun Okulaja ejected Galaxy midfielder Jovan Kirovski
for cursing at him while sniping his decision.
at Toronto's BMO Field
. In the 2010 campaign, United were able to pull out a 1–0 victory against the Reds; this time, D.C. was able to earn a 3–0 victory at Toronto. Their game against Toronto quickly went into good fortune for the Black-and-Red, as United found the back of the net twice within the first 10 minutes of play. The opening goal was scored by Chris Pontius
, which was his first in MLS league play since his hat trick against Seattle Sounders FC
last June, prior to his calf injury. Pontius netted in the 5th minute as well as the 73rd minute of the match. Additionally, Charlie Davies
netted his fifth MLS goal of the year, and his second in the run of play. Davies' goal was a follow up shot in the 9th minute following a strike from winger Josh Wolff
. Additionally, the game saw United not only pull out their first away win of the season, but their first shout-out since the Carolina Challenge Cup
; which was also Bill Hamid
's first shutout in MLS play.
, it was United's first televised match on the network this year. In the 12th minute of play, a Luke Rodgers
cross to Red Bulls striker, Thierry Henry
led to the first goal for New York. Henry scored his third goal of the season, and the second of the match in the 38th minute of play, doubling New York's lead. Heading into halftime, Olsen replaced club captain, McCarty in for DP
, Branko Bošković
at halftime. Bošković, praised for his play in the match, had two shots on goal that were deflected off of the crossbar. In the 64th minute, Bošković sent a free kick hurdling towards the upper right post, only to be denied by the crossbar. Throughout a majority of the second half United dominated the Red Bulls in possession, but failed time and time again to score. A counterattack in the 72nd minute, led by Estonian international, Joel Lindpere
gave New York a 3-0 advantage over United. Subsequently, Bošković had his third shot on goal deflect off the bar. American prospect, Juan Agudelo
netted in injury time for the Red Bulls, giving the club a 4-0 win over United. The loss for United was their worst ever home loss against New York, and their worst loss at home since 2005, when the team lost 4-0 to Chicago Fire in an MLS Cup
quarterfinal leg.
Following the club's 4–0 home defeat, United returned to Open Cup play, where they took on New England Revolution
in the MLS qualification semifinals. Hosted at Maryland SoccerPlex
in Boyds, the Revolution quickly got off to a 2-0 lead, thanks to a pair of goals from Revolution midfielder Kheli Dube. Dube scored in 37th and 47th minutes of play. Twenty minutes following Dube's second goal, Virginia-native Alan Koger
gave the Revs a 3-0 lead. Shortly thereafter, United's Branko Bošković
scored his first two goals of 2011 to trim the lead down to one goal. The late rally, however, proved to be too little, too late as the Revolution defeated United 3-2. Conseqeuntly, it was the first time since 2002
that United did not qualify into the main tournament propers of the Open Cup.
on April 29. United was routed 4–1 in the match, making them have a league-worst 16 goals conceded. However, with 10 goals scored, United was jointly tied for second in the league for goals scored on. The Orange Crush came out on a roaring start, as Dynamo-striker Will Bruin
netted in the fourth minute of play. In the 39th minute, United defender Marc Burch
scored off a complex free kick that caused the Dynamo defense to scramble, tallying his first goal of 2011. The parity, was short-lived, as Bruin would regain the lead for Houston two minutes later off of a header from Brad Davis
cross. Bruin would complete his hat trick
in the 57th minute to give Dynamo a commanding 3-1 lead. Houston's Cam Weaver
came in to add a buffer to the lead in the 62nd minute.
. Bošković, who left in the team's U.S. Open Cup qualifier loss to New England
, was revealed to have a torn Anterior cruciate ligament
(ACL) in his right thigh. Towards the end of the month, United hosted defending Dutch champions, Ajax in a friendly match, in which United lost.
Bošković's injury was released publicly on May 1, only three days before their midweek fixture against Seattle Sounders FC
. D.C. United, who had never defeated Seattle at home, was coming off a two-match winning streak. The match ended in United's favor, as goals from Josh Wolff
and Charlie Davies
helped United earn a 2–1 victory. Playing their third match within a week, United hosted 2010 MLS Cup
-finalists, FC Dallas
on May 7. Like United, Dallas was suffering from a slew of injuries, most notably forward David Ferreira
who broke his ankle in Dallas' 2–1 away victory at Vancouver. The game itself ended in a scoreless tie, though United out shot Dallas 5–2 in total shots on frame.
. The May 14 affair ended in a 1-1 draw between the two camps as the Rapids' Drew Moor
netted a 23rd minute brace to give the visitors an advantage. The hosts, United, continued to press throughout the match, dominating possession. In the 56th minute, what seemed to be a certain foul in the box for a penalty from Colorado's Jeff Lorentowictz on D.C.'s Joseph Ngwenya
was waived off resulting in heavy dissent from both the players and the bench of United. The incident was seemingly hindered in the 62nd minute when the Rapids' Kosuke Kimura
collided with United's Chris Pontius
. Pontius would subsequently score from the penalty spot, leveling the scoreline and thus giving United a draw.
During the week of May 22, United had a bye week from league play, which allowed the club to schedule a home friendly against the defending Dutch champions, AFC Ajax of Amsterdam. The previous week, Ajax had tallied a 3-1 win over Twente
to secure the Dutch title for an unprecedented 30th time, their first since 2004. The Amsterdammers notched an early strike in 10th minute thanks to forward, and Serbian
international, Miralem Sulejmani
. The Black-and-Red managed to make up for the early set back thanks to a 58th minute cross from Ngwenya to newly drafted Blake Brettschneider
, leveling the match at one apiece. However, the match ended in Ajax's favor over United as the Amsterdammers tallied a final goal in the 87th minute courtesy of midfielder Vurnon Anita
.
. The Timbers, who held a 5-3-2 record prior to the match had won every single match at home during MLS play. United successfully ended that home streak with a 3-2 victory over the Timbers, thanks to goals from Perry Kitchen
, his first professional goal in his career, as well as Chris Pontius
and Josh Wolff
. In the match, Kitchen opened the scoring for United with a 13th minute half-volley thanks to a redirected header from Dejan Jakovic
. While United were able to hold the 1-0 lead well into the second half of play, a chain of contentious decisions from center official Geoff Gamble, but primarily linesmen Eric Proctor. It was only the second MLS match that Gamble officiated, with his first coming on the previous weekend. In the 67th minute of play, United conceded a penalty kick to the Timbers. United goalkeeper, Bill Hamid
initially saved Timbers striker Kenny Cooper
's first penalty shot, only for the shot to be retaken. Proctor flagged for a retaking of the kick claiming that Hamid stepping off his line before the kick was taken, an infraction of the rules. The contrasting argument from Hamid, as well as other United players, was that Cooper stutter-stepped before taking the ball, which is illegal in the Laws of the Game. Nevertheless, it was ruled that a second retake would be taken, again by Cooper. Hamid consecutively saved the shot, only for Proctor to again rule that Hamid repeated the same original infraction. The ruling caused Hamid to storm over to Proctor in disdain for his decision, consequently earning Hamid a yellow card for dissent. For the third shot on the mark, Timbers captain Jack Jewsbury
took the shot and buried it in the bottom left-hand post, leveling the score at 1-1. The stalemate was tentative, as Diego Chara
of the Timbers conceded a penalty in the box when he mistimed a slide tackle on Pontius, leading to a hand ball. Pontius scored his second penalty of the season, and his second consecutive in league play to give United the 2-1 advantage. A quarter of an hour later, Wolff notched a goal, extending United's lead in the 85th minute. The Timbers' Jorge Perlaza
scored a consolation goal in the 88th minute of play, but it would fail to be enough.
. June also saw a wave of controversy arrive involving Charlie Davies and deceiving match officials during the run of play, causing Davies to be fined by MLS. As the international transfer window neared, United made an unanticipated, blockbuster trade with their Atlantic Cup rivals, New York Red Bulls on June 27. On the pitch, however, United failed to win any matches during the month, tallying three draws and a loss during the month.
The opening match of June was deemed a "family affair" by the media, due to the close relationship between Galaxy manager, Bruce Arena
and United manager, Ben Olsen
. Beforehand, Arena coached Olsen on the dynasty D.C. United squad of the late 1990s and on the United States national team
into the mid 2000s. Continuing their unbeaten streak from May, United earned a 1-1 draw. With the draw, United tentatively moved into third place in the Eastern Conference, ahead of Columbus Crew
.
In spite of the strong finish at Los Angeles, who led the Western Conference and overall standings at the time, United failed to win any matches during the month of June, amassing three subsequent draws and a loss. The loss would come the following week on June 11, where they would lose at home against San Jose Earthquakes
. Consequently, the loss, along with a Columbus victory, saw United fall to fourth in the conference and 11th in the overall standings.
. Played at Rio Tinto Stadium, the venue has been considered by fans and media alike to be one of the most hostile environments in MLS and in North American to play in. In franchise history, United had not only failed to win in Rio Tinto, but failed to earn a point in the stadium. In spite of Salt Lake's struggling form, and United's improved form, many still expected Real to defeat United, having the home field advantage and a stronger roster. The June 18 fixture played to a 1-1 tie thanks to penalty kicks from Salt Lake's Fabian Espindola
and United's Charlie Davies
. The match was marred for its extremely physical, sometimes ruthless play, as well as the lack of discipline imposed by center referee, Terry Vaughn
, who only gave one yellow card the entire match. Espindola scored the opening goal in the 38th minute. The penalty was drawn when Salt Lake captain, Kyle Beckerman
dribbled within the goal box. As Beckerman dribbled inwards, United's Clyde Simms
mistime a slide tackle that missed Beckerman, but resulted in his right wrist deflecting Beckerman's pass into the box. In the second half, United continued to control a majority of the ball position, only to see Chris Pontius
's shot deflect off the crossbar in the 53rd minute. Controversy further ignited on what many fans and journalists declared a dive from United's Davies, who drew a penalty kick in the 85th minute, following a breakaway counterattack. The declaration was near univsersal as video replay and still frames of the incident in the penalty box revealed Davies falling in a diving motion prior to Salt Lake defender, Chris Wingert
making any contact with Davies, only to do so once Davies had already fallen down. In spite of this center official Terry Vaughn whistled it to be a penalty kick. Met with heavy jeers at Rio Tinto, Davies successfully bagged the match tying goal, in spite of the fact that Salt Lake's goalkeeper, a former United player, Nick Rimando
, guessed the correct way. In the 92nd minute, during stoppage time, Salt Lake's Jamison Olave
recklessly fouled United's Blake Brettschneider
to draw a final set piece, possibly to allow United to earn a shocking road win in Salt Lake. However, Najar's free kick was successfully passed to Pontius, whose shot deflected off the crossbar, allowing the match to remain leveled at one apiece. At the match's end heavy boo's were ignited by the Salt Lake crowd, primarily directed towards the officiating. The match was deemed as one of the most reckless matches of 2011.
would be allowed to join Australian A-League side, Melbourne Heart on a summer transfer in July. The exact date was not disclosed, although mid-season transfer window in MLS opens on July 15 and closes August 31.
One week later, United made national headlines following an unexpected trade
with their Atlantic Cup rivals, Red Bull New York. The trade, announced on June 27, involved United acquiring New York midfielder, Dwayne De Rosario
in exchange for United central midfielder, Dax McCarty
.
was hired as an assistant coach for the senior team. Three days later, United played budding rivals, Philadelphia Union at home. The match, ending in a 2-2 tie saw newcomer Dwayne De Rosario
make an assist to Josh Wolff
as well as midfielder Andy Najar
score a long range volley from 35 yards.
corridor to take on their Atlantic Cup rivals, Red Bull New York. The Red Bulls, previously thrashed United 4-0 in April, and looked to be heavy favorites by fans and the media alike, especially coming off a 5-0 home win over Toronto
. During the 61st minute of play, De Rosario scored against his former club to give United a 1-0 advantage, which ended up being the match-winning goal. The win means that the Red Bulls have failed to defeat United at home since 2008. In spite of the win, United failed to win the Atlantic Cup trophy for the second consecutive year, losing 4-1 on aggregate. However, despite winning the Cup for the second straight year, Red Bulls players found the consolation prize as nothing worth meriting about. D.C. continued their streak the following week, drawing 0–0 to FC Dallas
at Pizza Hut Park.
United concluded July with a 2–0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes
at Buck Shaw Stadium
. De Rosario scored both goals.
, Kurt Morsink
and Santino Quaranta
. On the field, D.C. United was scheduled to host Canada's two MLS franchises, Toronto FC
and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, respectively. While recent United acquisition, and former Toronto captain, Dwayne De Rosario scored a hat trick against his former club, a shorthanded United ended up drawing 3–3 against Toronto. The following weekend, United posted a 4–0 thrashing of last-place Vancouver, earning their largest home victory since 2008.
Upon their homestance against the Canadian teams, United hit the road for matches at Eastern Conference rivals, Chicago Fire and Sporting Kansas City. A lone goal in the 73rd minute from United's Josh Wolff
gave the team a point against Chicago, while an early goal from Sporting's Omar Bravo
consequently ended in a 1–0 defeat against Kansas City, making it the first time since April 27 that United lost on the road.
Originally, United was expecting to conclude their competitive play on August 27, at home to the Portland Timbers
, but due to the effects of Hurricane Irene
, the match was rescheduled from 7:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Two days prior to the match itself, the club and the MLS League Committee agreed to postpone the match to a later date. It was later confirmed that the match would be played in October.
granted the players and staff a four week break over Labor Day Weekend. On September 6, United players and staff rejoined one another in training, four days ahead of their trip to Los Angeles
for their road fixture against Chivas USA
. The September 10 match led to a 3–0 victory for United, earning their largest road victory since April. Charlie Davies
netted a hat trick, scoring thrice in the run of play, each goal coming off of an assist from Chris Pontius
. However, the large victory paid a devastating price, as Pontius collided with ??? in the 83rd minute, breaking his leg, and consequently missing the remainder of the season. The road swing concluded with a 3–0 loss to Seattle Sounders.
Following the defeat to Seattle, United had a two-match homestand against 2005 expansion teams, Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake
. Against Chivas USA, United went up 2–0 before conceding twice to settle for a 2–2 draw. Against Real Salt Lake, Dwayne De Rosario
netted a hat trick in the match within the first 31 minutes, scoring the fastest hat trick in MLS history, earning him Player of the Week honors. In addition to De Rosario's three goals, he assisted to Andy Najar
, and the club won 4–1 over Salt Lake.
The month of competitive matches ended on September 29 with a trip to their budding I-95 rivals, Philadelphia Union, where United lost 3–2.
began to heat up. In their away fixture at Columbus Crew
, United lost 1–2, with United's Daniel Woolard
scoring the lone goal for the club. It was the first time since April 29 that the team lost consecutive matches. Consequently, the club remained outside of the playoff race. United in need of points, lost their third-straight match on the road to Vancouver Whitecaps, 2–1.
On October 15, United lost their fourth-consecutive match, making it their longest losing streak since August 2010. Playing Chicago, United took a 1–0 lead in the 90th minute thanks to a penalty kick from De Rosario. The slight goal lead seemed certain to return United back into a playoff position for only Chicago's Sebastián Grazzini
and Diego Cháves
to score for the Fire in the third and fifth minutes of stoppage time, respectively. Despite the loss, United barely remained in the playoff chance. In order for the club to earn a berth in the playoffs, they will need New York to lose or draw at home to Philadelphia, while United must win their final two matches. Doing so would require winning consecutive matches, something United has not done since June 2009.
D.C. United will conclude the regular season by hosting the Portland Timbers
on October 19 and Sporting Kansas City on October 22.
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
regular season matches played during the 2011 D.C. United season
2011 D.C. United season
The 2011 D.C. United season was the club's 17th year of existence, their 16th season in Major League Soccer, and their 16th consecutive season in the top-flight of American soccer. D.C. United will be trying to salvage a poor showing last season, finishing at the bottom of the MLS standings...
. United's regular season started on March 19, 2011 against Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
and concluded on October 22, 2011 against Sporting Kansas City. D.C. United finished the MLS regular season with a 9–12–12 record (wins–losses–draws), thus finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference and twelfth in the overall standings, failing to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs for a record-breaking fourth consecutive season.
Late March
As the Challenge Cup concluded, United began to shift gears to the MLS regular season2011 Major League Soccer season
The 2011 Major League Soccer season was the 99th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 33rd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 16th season of Major League Soccer. The season marked the arrival of two new league clubs, Portland Timbers and Vancouver...
, and with that, naming their captain for the campaign. On March 16, 2011, Head Coach Ben Olsen
Ben Olsen
Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia...
named Dax McCarty
Dax McCarty
Dax McCarty is an American soccer player who currently plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.-College:...
the club captain.
United opened the MLS regular season on March 19, 2011. Their campaign opened in strong fashion, amassing a 3–1 victory over Eastern Conference foes, Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
. In the match, two of United's recent acquisitions tallied the three goals on the scoresheet; two for Charlie Davies
Charlie Davies
Charles Desmond "Charlie" Davies is an American soccer player who plays as a striker for French Ligue 1 side Sochaux....
, who came on as a 55th minute substitute, and one for Josh Wolff
Josh Wolff
Joshua David "Josh" Wolff is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College:...
. The goals for Davies were his first since August 12, 2009; when he scored for the U.S. national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in their 1–2 loss against Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
in Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca is a stadium in Santa Ursula, Mexico City, Mexico. It is the official home stadium of the Mexico national football team and the Mexican team Club América.The stadium was the venue for football soccer in the 1968 Summer Olympics....
. The lone blemish for the Black-and-Red that evening was a converted penalty kick by long-time Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers
Robbie Rogers
Robbie Rogers is an American soccer player who currently plays for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer and the United States men's national soccer team.-Youth and College:...
in the 83rd minute.
Following their opening victory, the United traveled up north to take on New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
on March 26. The United would fall into a 2–0 hole early in the match, with some citing poor officiating as the cause. A late penalty kick goal from Charlie Davies resulted in a 2–1 loss for the United.
Colorado snowstorm
April opened with United playing the defending MLS CupMLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
champions, Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
at their home ground, DSG Park on April 2. The match was almost postponed due to snow earlier in the day. However, the match was still called on, as a smaller crowd of around 9,000 braved the wintry conditions. The match saw Colorado take a first half lead off recently purchased Irish-international Caleb Folan
Caleb Folan
Caleb Colman Folan is an Irish footballer who plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer as a striker. He qualifies to play for the Republic of Ireland through his grandfather, who was from Inis Mór, and his grandmother, from Galway.-Early career:Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Folan started...
. In the 67th minute of play, the United leveled the score thanks to a strike from Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta is an American soccer player.-Youth:Quaranta partially attended Baltimore's Archbishop Curley High School for his freshman and sophomore years, where he started both years, and was recognized as one of the top soccer players in the state...
, making it the first time in the season the defending MLS champions were tied, when the score was no 0-0. The tie was short-lived, as the Rapids immediately struck back with a 68th minute goal from Scottish-international Jamie Smith. Ten minutes later, Folan gave the Rapids a 3-1 lead, and in injury time, Jamaican-international Omar Cummings
Omar Cummings
Omar Cummings is a Jamaican international footballer who plays professionally for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer, as a forward.-Youth and amateur:...
gave a sucker punch goal, resulting in a 4–1 defeat for United to the Rapids.
By finishing in 16th in MLS last season, United were not guaranteed an MLS berth in the 2011 edition of the U.S. Open Cup. Therefore, they will have to qualify for one of two spots against teams that finished in 7th place or below in MLS last season.
On February 28, 2011, MLS announced that for their qualification, United would play the Philadelphia Union in a play-in game for U.S. Open Cup qualification. The decision for United to play the Union was due to the Union's proximity to United, and their relative record during the 2010 season. The match will be played April 6, 2011 at the Maryland SoccerPlex
Maryland SoccerPlex
Maryland Soccerplex is a sports complex in Germantown, Maryland, United States . There are nineteen natural grass fields, three artificial fields, and eight indoor courts...
. United hosts the Union due to winning a coin flip. The winner of the D.C.-Philadelphia match will host New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
in the second phase of MLS qualification. That match is expected to be played in late April 2011.
L.A. Galaxy match
In front of their largest league crowd in three years, United hosted the Los Angeles GalaxyLos Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
on April 9. In their previous meeting, the United took a lead midway in the second half, before Galaxy captain, Landon Donovan
Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
scored two goals late in the game to give the Galaxy a 2-1 win. The match peaked interest across the region, as a crowd of 26,222 turned up for the game, United's largest league match crowd in over three years. The game itself ended in a 1–1 draw, with the Galaxy scoring the first goal, a Mike Magee
Mike Magee (soccer)
Mike Magee is an American soccer player who currently plays for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
header off of a David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
corner in the 12th minute. United equalized late into match, in the second minute of stoppage time, thanks to a Charlie Davies
Charlie Davies
Charles Desmond "Charlie" Davies is an American soccer player who plays as a striker for French Ligue 1 side Sochaux....
penalty kick, his fourth in MLS league play and his fifth with D.C. United.
The match itself swirled around controversy between Abiodun Okulaja's (the center referee) calls and officiating. The most questionable calls were associated the severity of cards distributed to players and a late-match decision to award a penalty kick to the United, in which many claimed was a fake trip in the box. One controversial call came from a reckless challenge by Galaxy midfielder, Beckham, to United forward, Josh Wolff
Josh Wolff
Joshua David "Josh" Wolff is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College:...
in the 40th minute. Following the referee stopping play to call the foul, a verbal exchange between Beckham and United's Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta is an American soccer player.-Youth:Quaranta partially attended Baltimore's Archbishop Curley High School for his freshman and sophomore years, where he started both years, and was recognized as one of the top soccer players in the state...
resulted in a swarm of United and Galaxy players coming in to push the two apart. While Quaranta was not carded for his exchange with Beckham, Beckham was carded for his foul against Wolff. in the 37th minute and Davies' penalty kick in the 91st. The goal received much national attention from the controversy surrounding the decision to award a penalty, and Davies' celebration for successfully converting the kick. Subsequent to the match, center referee Abiodun Okulaja ejected Galaxy midfielder Jovan Kirovski
Jovan Kirovski
Jovan Kirovski is an American soccer player who currently plays for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.-Club career:...
for cursing at him while sniping his decision.
Success in Toronto
On April 16, United took on Toronto FCToronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
at Toronto's BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
. In the 2010 campaign, United were able to pull out a 1–0 victory against the Reds; this time, D.C. was able to earn a 3–0 victory at Toronto. Their game against Toronto quickly went into good fortune for the Black-and-Red, as United found the back of the net twice within the first 10 minutes of play. The opening goal was scored by Chris Pontius
Chris Pontius (soccer)
Christopher Richard Pontius is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
, which was his first in MLS league play since his hat trick against Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
last June, prior to his calf injury. Pontius netted in the 5th minute as well as the 73rd minute of the match. Additionally, Charlie Davies
Charlie Davies
Charles Desmond "Charlie" Davies is an American soccer player who plays as a striker for French Ligue 1 side Sochaux....
netted his fifth MLS goal of the year, and his second in the run of play. Davies' goal was a follow up shot in the 9th minute following a strike from winger Josh Wolff
Josh Wolff
Joshua David "Josh" Wolff is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College:...
. Additionally, the game saw United not only pull out their first away win of the season, but their first shout-out since the Carolina Challenge Cup
Carolina Challenge Cup
The Carolina Challenge Cup is a four-team round robin pre-season competition hosted by the Charleston Battery. It was started in 2004 and features teams from Major League Soccer and the United Soccer Leagues. The Columbus Crew edged out D.C. United on goal differential to win the 2004 competition,...
; which was also Bill Hamid
Bill Hamid
Abdul "Bill" Hamid is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
's first shutout in MLS play.
Atlantic Cup drubbing
The following Thursday, April 22, United hosted their longtime rivals, Red Bull New York. Broadcast on ESPN2ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
, it was United's first televised match on the network this year. In the 12th minute of play, a Luke Rodgers
Luke Rodgers
Luke John Rodgers is an English professional football striker who plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.He played in England's Football League, starting at Shrewsbury Town in 1999...
cross to Red Bulls striker, Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
led to the first goal for New York. Henry scored his third goal of the season, and the second of the match in the 38th minute of play, doubling New York's lead. Heading into halftime, Olsen replaced club captain, McCarty in for DP
Designated player
A designated player may refer to:*Designated Player Rule - A player signed by a Major League Soccer franchise whose salary is outside the team's salary cap. Since 2010, teams have been allowed three such players....
, Branko Bošković
Branko Boškovic
Branko Bošković , is a Montenegrin footballer who plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer, and for the national team.-Club:...
at halftime. Bošković, praised for his play in the match, had two shots on goal that were deflected off of the crossbar. In the 64th minute, Bošković sent a free kick hurdling towards the upper right post, only to be denied by the crossbar. Throughout a majority of the second half United dominated the Red Bulls in possession, but failed time and time again to score. A counterattack in the 72nd minute, led by Estonian international, Joel Lindpere
Joel Lindpere
Joel Lindpere is an Estonian professional footballer who currently plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer. He plays as a midfielder.-Estonia:...
gave New York a 3-0 advantage over United. Subsequently, Bošković had his third shot on goal deflect off the bar. American prospect, Juan Agudelo
Juan Agudelo
Juan Sebastián Agudelo is a Colombian-born American soccer player. He currently plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer....
netted in injury time for the Red Bulls, giving the club a 4-0 win over United. The loss for United was their worst ever home loss against New York, and their worst loss at home since 2005, when the team lost 4-0 to Chicago Fire in an MLS Cup
MLS Cup Playoffs
The MLS Cup Playoffs is the postseason elimination tournament of Major League Soccer held at the end of the regular season en route to the MLS Cup, the league's championship game. 10 teams in total from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference qualify for the tournament based on regular-season...
quarterfinal leg.
Following the club's 4–0 home defeat, United returned to Open Cup play, where they took on New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
in the MLS qualification semifinals. Hosted at Maryland SoccerPlex
Maryland SoccerPlex
Maryland Soccerplex is a sports complex in Germantown, Maryland, United States . There are nineteen natural grass fields, three artificial fields, and eight indoor courts...
in Boyds, the Revolution quickly got off to a 2-0 lead, thanks to a pair of goals from Revolution midfielder Kheli Dube. Dube scored in 37th and 47th minutes of play. Twenty minutes following Dube's second goal, Virginia-native Alan Koger
Alan Koger
Alan Koger is an American soccer player.-College and amateur:Koger attended Magna Vista High School, where he played both soccer and was his school's American football placekicker, and played club soccer for Greensboro Soccer Club 87 Green, before going on to play college soccer at the College of...
gave the Revs a 3-0 lead. Shortly thereafter, United's Branko Bošković
Branko Boškovic
Branko Bošković , is a Montenegrin footballer who plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer, and for the national team.-Club:...
scored his first two goals of 2011 to trim the lead down to one goal. The late rally, however, proved to be too little, too late as the Revolution defeated United 3-2. Conseqeuntly, it was the first time since 2002
2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-First round:Seven D3 Pro League, five PDL, and four USASA teams start.-----Second round:Eight A-League teams enter....
that United did not qualify into the main tournament propers of the Open Cup.
Houston defeat, U.S. Open Cup elimination
United's woes continued in their final match of April, where they traveled south to take on Houston DynamoHouston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
on April 29. United was routed 4–1 in the match, making them have a league-worst 16 goals conceded. However, with 10 goals scored, United was jointly tied for second in the league for goals scored on. The Orange Crush came out on a roaring start, as Dynamo-striker Will Bruin
Will Bruin
Will Bruin is an American soccer player currently playing as a Forward for Houston Dynamo in Major League Soccer...
netted in the fourth minute of play. In the 39th minute, United defender Marc Burch
Marc Burch
Marc Burch is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
scored off a complex free kick that caused the Dynamo defense to scramble, tallying his first goal of 2011. The parity, was short-lived, as Bruin would regain the lead for Houston two minutes later off of a header from Brad Davis
Brad Davis (soccer)
Brad Davis is an American footballer who currently plays for Houston Dynamo in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
cross. Bruin would complete his hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
in the 57th minute to give Dynamo a commanding 3-1 lead. Houston's Cam Weaver
Cam Weaver
William Cameron "Cam" Weaver is an American soccer player who plays as a forward for the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.-High School and College:...
came in to add a buffer to the lead in the 62nd minute.
Bošković injury
During the month of May, D.C. United went undefeated in their four Major League Soccer regular season matches, winning and drawing two games apiece. While the club had success on the field, the team suffered with several injuries, including the club's lone Designated Player, Branko BoškovićBranko Boškovic
Branko Bošković , is a Montenegrin footballer who plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer, and for the national team.-Club:...
. Bošković, who left in the team's U.S. Open Cup qualifier loss to New England
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
, was revealed to have a torn Anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
(ACL) in his right thigh. Towards the end of the month, United hosted defending Dutch champions, Ajax in a friendly match, in which United lost.
Bošković's injury was released publicly on May 1, only three days before their midweek fixture against Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
. D.C. United, who had never defeated Seattle at home, was coming off a two-match winning streak. The match ended in United's favor, as goals from Josh Wolff
Josh Wolff
Joshua David "Josh" Wolff is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College:...
and Charlie Davies
Charlie Davies
Charles Desmond "Charlie" Davies is an American soccer player who plays as a striker for French Ligue 1 side Sochaux....
helped United earn a 2–1 victory. Playing their third match within a week, United hosted 2010 MLS Cup
MLS Cup 2010
The MLS Cup 2010 was the fifteenth edition of the MLS Cup championship game and the final match of the 2010 MLS season. The championship was played at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on Sunday, November 21, 2010...
-finalists, FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
on May 7. Like United, Dallas was suffering from a slew of injuries, most notably forward David Ferreira
David Ferreira
David Ferreira is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
who broke his ankle in Dallas' 2–1 away victory at Vancouver. The game itself ended in a scoreless tie, though United out shot Dallas 5–2 in total shots on frame.
Rapids draw, Ajax friendly loss
Within a week, United squared off in their return match against the defending league champions, Colorado RapidsColorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
. The May 14 affair ended in a 1-1 draw between the two camps as the Rapids' Drew Moor
Drew Moor
Drew Moor is an American soccer player who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer. He is consistently ranked by major publications as one of the top defenders in the league.-College:...
netted a 23rd minute brace to give the visitors an advantage. The hosts, United, continued to press throughout the match, dominating possession. In the 56th minute, what seemed to be a certain foul in the box for a penalty from Colorado's Jeff Lorentowictz on D.C.'s Joseph Ngwenya
Joseph Ngwenya
Joseph Ngwenya is a Zimbabwean footballer currently without a club.-College:Ngwenya attended the Mzilikazi High School in Bulawayo, leading them to the 1999 Zimbabwe National High School Championship, before coming to the United States in 2000 to attend and play college soccer at Coastal Carolina...
was waived off resulting in heavy dissent from both the players and the bench of United. The incident was seemingly hindered in the 62nd minute when the Rapids' Kosuke Kimura
Kosuke Kimura
is a Japanese footballer who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.He is the only player in the league's history who was born in Japan, and was a starting defender for the Rapids in its run to the MLS Cup Championship in 2010.-College and amateur:Kimura's career in...
collided with United's Chris Pontius
Chris Pontius (soccer)
Christopher Richard Pontius is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
. Pontius would subsequently score from the penalty spot, leveling the scoreline and thus giving United a draw.
During the week of May 22, United had a bye week from league play, which allowed the club to schedule a home friendly against the defending Dutch champions, AFC Ajax of Amsterdam. The previous week, Ajax had tallied a 3-1 win over Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
to secure the Dutch title for an unprecedented 30th time, their first since 2004. The Amsterdammers notched an early strike in 10th minute thanks to forward, and Serbian
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
international, Miralem Sulejmani
Miralem Sulejmani
Miralem Sulejmani is a Serbian football player of Gorani origin who plays for Ajax.-Early career:...
. The Black-and-Red managed to make up for the early set back thanks to a 58th minute cross from Ngwenya to newly drafted Blake Brettschneider
Blake Brettschneider
Blake Brettschneider is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth:...
, leveling the match at one apiece. However, the match ended in Ajax's favor over United as the Amsterdammers tallied a final goal in the 87th minute courtesy of midfielder Vurnon Anita
Vurnon Anita
Vurnon San Benito Anita is a Dutch footballer of Antillean descent who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Ajax.- Career :...
.
Victory at Jeld-Wen
Heading into Memorial Day Weekend, United wrapped up May with the opening match of their two-game West Coast road trip on May 29 at Jeld-Wen Field to take on the Portland TimbersPortland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
. The Timbers, who held a 5-3-2 record prior to the match had won every single match at home during MLS play. United successfully ended that home streak with a 3-2 victory over the Timbers, thanks to goals from Perry Kitchen
Perry Kitchen
Perry Kitchen is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College and amateur:...
, his first professional goal in his career, as well as Chris Pontius
Chris Pontius (soccer)
Christopher Richard Pontius is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
and Josh Wolff
Josh Wolff
Joshua David "Josh" Wolff is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College:...
. In the match, Kitchen opened the scoring for United with a 13th minute half-volley thanks to a redirected header from Dejan Jakovic
Dejan Jakovic
Dejan Jakovic is a Canadian international soccer player who currently plays for D.C...
. While United were able to hold the 1-0 lead well into the second half of play, a chain of contentious decisions from center official Geoff Gamble, but primarily linesmen Eric Proctor. It was only the second MLS match that Gamble officiated, with his first coming on the previous weekend. In the 67th minute of play, United conceded a penalty kick to the Timbers. United goalkeeper, Bill Hamid
Bill Hamid
Abdul "Bill" Hamid is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
initially saved Timbers striker Kenny Cooper
Kenny Cooper
Kenneth Scott Cooper, Jr. is an American soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer....
's first penalty shot, only for the shot to be retaken. Proctor flagged for a retaking of the kick claiming that Hamid stepping off his line before the kick was taken, an infraction of the rules. The contrasting argument from Hamid, as well as other United players, was that Cooper stutter-stepped before taking the ball, which is illegal in the Laws of the Game. Nevertheless, it was ruled that a second retake would be taken, again by Cooper. Hamid consecutively saved the shot, only for Proctor to again rule that Hamid repeated the same original infraction. The ruling caused Hamid to storm over to Proctor in disdain for his decision, consequently earning Hamid a yellow card for dissent. For the third shot on the mark, Timbers captain Jack Jewsbury
Jack Jewsbury
Jack Jewsbury is an American soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
took the shot and buried it in the bottom left-hand post, leveling the score at 1-1. The stalemate was tentative, as Diego Chara
Diego Chará
Diego Ferney Chará Zamora is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer. Chará plays as a holding midfielder, and is known for his creativity in the attack.-Club:...
of the Timbers conceded a penalty in the box when he mistimed a slide tackle on Pontius, leading to a hand ball. Pontius scored his second penalty of the season, and his second consecutive in league play to give United the 2-1 advantage. A quarter of an hour later, Wolff notched a goal, extending United's lead in the 85th minute. The Timbers' Jorge Perlaza
Jorge Perlaza
Jorge Isaacs Perlaza Aguiño is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.-Colombia:...
scored a consolation goal in the 88th minute of play, but it would fail to be enough.
Third kit debut, L.A. "family affiar"
The beginning of June was heralded by the debut of United's third kit, which debuted in the opening match of the month. The new third kit, which featured a primary color of red, with black accents debuted in the June 3 away fixture at Los Angeles GalaxyLos Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
. June also saw a wave of controversy arrive involving Charlie Davies and deceiving match officials during the run of play, causing Davies to be fined by MLS. As the international transfer window neared, United made an unanticipated, blockbuster trade with their Atlantic Cup rivals, New York Red Bulls on June 27. On the pitch, however, United failed to win any matches during the month, tallying three draws and a loss during the month.
The opening match of June was deemed a "family affair" by the media, due to the close relationship between Galaxy manager, Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena is a former coach of the United States men's national soccer team as well as a former professional soccer and lacrosse player...
and United manager, Ben Olsen
Ben Olsen
Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia...
. Beforehand, Arena coached Olsen on the dynasty D.C. United squad of the late 1990s and on the United States national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
into the mid 2000s. Continuing their unbeaten streak from May, United earned a 1-1 draw. With the draw, United tentatively moved into third place in the Eastern Conference, ahead of Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
.
In spite of the strong finish at Los Angeles, who led the Western Conference and overall standings at the time, United failed to win any matches during the month of June, amassing three subsequent draws and a loss. The loss would come the following week on June 11, where they would lose at home against San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
. Consequently, the loss, along with a Columbus victory, saw United fall to fourth in the conference and 11th in the overall standings.
Davies controversy in Salt Lake
On June 16, United embarked for Salt Lake City for a June 18 away game at Real Salt LakeReal Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
. Played at Rio Tinto Stadium, the venue has been considered by fans and media alike to be one of the most hostile environments in MLS and in North American to play in. In franchise history, United had not only failed to win in Rio Tinto, but failed to earn a point in the stadium. In spite of Salt Lake's struggling form, and United's improved form, many still expected Real to defeat United, having the home field advantage and a stronger roster. The June 18 fixture played to a 1-1 tie thanks to penalty kicks from Salt Lake's Fabian Espindola
Fabián Espíndola
Fabián Espíndola is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.-South America:...
and United's Charlie Davies
Charlie Davies
Charles Desmond "Charlie" Davies is an American soccer player who plays as a striker for French Ligue 1 side Sochaux....
. The match was marred for its extremely physical, sometimes ruthless play, as well as the lack of discipline imposed by center referee, Terry Vaughn
Terry Vaughn (referee)
Terry Vaughn is an American football referee who currently resides in Mount Vernon, Iowa. He has been a full international referee for FIFA since 2004....
, who only gave one yellow card the entire match. Espindola scored the opening goal in the 38th minute. The penalty was drawn when Salt Lake captain, Kyle Beckerman
Kyle Beckerman
Kyle Beckerman is an American soccer player who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and the United States national team. He is a holding midfielder and also serves as team captain for Real Salt Lake.-Youth:Beckerman began his career participating in various youth leagues in...
dribbled within the goal box. As Beckerman dribbled inwards, United's Clyde Simms
Clyde Simms
Clyde Simms is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College:...
mistime a slide tackle that missed Beckerman, but resulted in his right wrist deflecting Beckerman's pass into the box. In the second half, United continued to control a majority of the ball position, only to see Chris Pontius
Chris Pontius (soccer)
Christopher Richard Pontius is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
's shot deflect off the crossbar in the 53rd minute. Controversy further ignited on what many fans and journalists declared a dive from United's Davies, who drew a penalty kick in the 85th minute, following a breakaway counterattack. The declaration was near univsersal as video replay and still frames of the incident in the penalty box revealed Davies falling in a diving motion prior to Salt Lake defender, Chris Wingert
Chris Wingert
Chris Wingert is an American soccer player who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.-College:Wingert attended St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School and played college soccer for St...
making any contact with Davies, only to do so once Davies had already fallen down. In spite of this center official Terry Vaughn whistled it to be a penalty kick. Met with heavy jeers at Rio Tinto, Davies successfully bagged the match tying goal, in spite of the fact that Salt Lake's goalkeeper, a former United player, Nick Rimando
Nick Rimando
Nicholas Paul "Nick" Rimando is an American soccer player who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and the United States national team-College:...
, guessed the correct way. In the 92nd minute, during stoppage time, Salt Lake's Jamison Olave
Jámison Olave
Jámison Olave is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.-Career:Olave played for a multitude of clubs in his native Colombia, before returning to his first club, Deportivo Cali...
recklessly fouled United's Blake Brettschneider
Blake Brettschneider
Blake Brettschneider is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth:...
to draw a final set piece, possibly to allow United to earn a shocking road win in Salt Lake. However, Najar's free kick was successfully passed to Pontius, whose shot deflected off the crossbar, allowing the match to remain leveled at one apiece. At the match's end heavy boo's were ignited by the Salt Lake crowd, primarily directed towards the officiating. The match was deemed as one of the most reckless matches of 2011.
Celebrity golf tournament, McCarty–De Rosario trade
On June 20, United hosted its annual celebrity tournament. That same day, the club made more headlines when they announced that FredHelbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva
Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva, commonly known as Fred is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for A-League club Melbourne Heart, and is also the team captain.-Brazil:...
would be allowed to join Australian A-League side, Melbourne Heart on a summer transfer in July. The exact date was not disclosed, although mid-season transfer window in MLS opens on July 15 and closes August 31.
One week later, United made national headlines following an unexpected trade
Trade (sports)
In professional sports, a trade is a sports league transaction involving an exchange of players' contracts or draft picks between teams. Cash is another commodity that may be packaged together with contracts or draft picks to complete a trade...
with their Atlantic Cup rivals, Red Bull New York. The trade, announced on June 27, involved United acquiring New York midfielder, Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne Anthony De Rosario is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer. He also plays for the Canadian national team.-Early career:...
in exchange for United central midfielder, Dax McCarty
Dax McCarty
Dax McCarty is an American soccer player who currently plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.-College:...
.
July
The month of July began with D.C. United announcing a new assistant coach, as well as playing two nearby Eastern Conference rivals. On July 1, the franchise announced that Dutch manager Sonny SilooySonny Silooy
Jan Jacobus Silooy is a former Dutch footballer, who is now an assistant manager for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-Club:...
was hired as an assistant coach for the senior team. Three days later, United played budding rivals, Philadelphia Union at home. The match, ending in a 2-2 tie saw newcomer Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne Anthony De Rosario is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer. He also plays for the Canadian national team.-Early career:...
make an assist to Josh Wolff
Josh Wolff
Joshua David "Josh" Wolff is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College:...
as well as midfielder Andy Najar
Andy Najar
Andy Najar Rodriguez is a Honduran footballer currently playing for D.C. United in Major League Soccer in the United States.-Amateur:...
score a long range volley from 35 yards.
Victory in New York, Atlantic Cup defeat
The following week, United traveled up the Interstate 95Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
corridor to take on their Atlantic Cup rivals, Red Bull New York. The Red Bulls, previously thrashed United 4-0 in April, and looked to be heavy favorites by fans and the media alike, especially coming off a 5-0 home win over Toronto
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
. During the 61st minute of play, De Rosario scored against his former club to give United a 1-0 advantage, which ended up being the match-winning goal. The win means that the Red Bulls have failed to defeat United at home since 2008. In spite of the win, United failed to win the Atlantic Cup trophy for the second consecutive year, losing 4-1 on aggregate. However, despite winning the Cup for the second straight year, Red Bulls players found the consolation prize as nothing worth meriting about. D.C. continued their streak the following week, drawing 0–0 to FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
at Pizza Hut Park.
United concluded July with a 2–0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
at Buck Shaw Stadium
Buck Shaw Stadium
Buck Shaw Stadium is a 10,300-seat soccer stadium at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. The stadium is the current home of the Santa Clara Broncos soccer teams and was the former home of the now defunct Santa Clara football team as well as the Santa Clara baseball team. The baseball...
. De Rosario scored both goals.
August
The fifth month into D.C. United's regular season campaign marked the return of several players whom were previously injured throughout the season. Some key players included Dejan JakovicDejan Jakovic
Dejan Jakovic is a Canadian international soccer player who currently plays for D.C...
, Kurt Morsink
Kurt Morsink
Kurt Morsink is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
and Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta
Santino Quaranta is an American soccer player.-Youth:Quaranta partially attended Baltimore's Archbishop Curley High School for his freshman and sophomore years, where he started both years, and was recognized as one of the top soccer players in the state...
. On the field, D.C. United was scheduled to host Canada's two MLS franchises, Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, respectively. While recent United acquisition, and former Toronto captain, Dwayne De Rosario scored a hat trick against his former club, a shorthanded United ended up drawing 3–3 against Toronto. The following weekend, United posted a 4–0 thrashing of last-place Vancouver, earning their largest home victory since 2008.
Upon their homestance against the Canadian teams, United hit the road for matches at Eastern Conference rivals, Chicago Fire and Sporting Kansas City. A lone goal in the 73rd minute from United's Josh Wolff
Josh Wolff
Joshua David "Josh" Wolff is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College:...
gave the team a point against Chicago, while an early goal from Sporting's Omar Bravo
Omar Bravo
Omar Bravo Tordecillas is a Mexican footballer who currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer.-Club Deportivo Guadalajara:...
consequently ended in a 1–0 defeat against Kansas City, making it the first time since April 27 that United lost on the road.
Originally, United was expecting to conclude their competitive play on August 27, at home to the Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
, but due to the effects of Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene (2011)
Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in 2011...
, the match was rescheduled from 7:30 PM to 2:30 PM. Two days prior to the match itself, the club and the MLS League Committee agreed to postpone the match to a later date. It was later confirmed that the match would be played in October.
September
With the Portland match being postponed, it resulted in a three-week span of no competitive play for D.C. United. To give his players some additional rest and to ease the tensions in training sessions, head coach Ben OlsenBen Olsen
Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsen is a former American professional soccer player and the current manager of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia...
granted the players and staff a four week break over Labor Day Weekend. On September 6, United players and staff rejoined one another in training, four days ahead of their trip to Los Angeles
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
The Los Angeles metropolitan area, also known as Metropolitan Los Angeles or the Southland, is the 13th largest metropolitan area in the world and the second-largest metropolitan area in the United States....
for their road fixture against Chivas USA
C.D. Chivas USA
Club Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada....
. The September 10 match led to a 3–0 victory for United, earning their largest road victory since April. Charlie Davies
Charlie Davies
Charles Desmond "Charlie" Davies is an American soccer player who plays as a striker for French Ligue 1 side Sochaux....
netted a hat trick, scoring thrice in the run of play, each goal coming off of an assist from Chris Pontius
Chris Pontius (soccer)
Christopher Richard Pontius is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
. However, the large victory paid a devastating price, as Pontius collided with ??? in the 83rd minute, breaking his leg, and consequently missing the remainder of the season. The road swing concluded with a 3–0 loss to Seattle Sounders.
Following the defeat to Seattle, United had a two-match homestand against 2005 expansion teams, Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
. Against Chivas USA, United went up 2–0 before conceding twice to settle for a 2–2 draw. Against Real Salt Lake, Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne Anthony De Rosario is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer. He also plays for the Canadian national team.-Early career:...
netted a hat trick in the match within the first 31 minutes, scoring the fastest hat trick in MLS history, earning him Player of the Week honors. In addition to De Rosario's three goals, he assisted to Andy Najar
Andy Najar
Andy Najar Rodriguez is a Honduran footballer currently playing for D.C. United in Major League Soccer in the United States.-Amateur:...
, and the club won 4–1 over Salt Lake.
The month of competitive matches ended on September 29 with a trip to their budding I-95 rivals, Philadelphia Union, where United lost 3–2.
October
Entering the final month of the regular season, the race for the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs2011 MLS Cup Playoffs
The 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs will be the sixteenth post-season tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season. The tournament began on October 26 with the play-in round and will conclude on November 20 with the championship match. It will be the first playoff-series to include ten...
began to heat up. In their away fixture at Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
, United lost 1–2, with United's Daniel Woolard
Daniel Woolard
Daniel Woolard is an American soccer player, who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-College and amateur:...
scoring the lone goal for the club. It was the first time since April 29 that the team lost consecutive matches. Consequently, the club remained outside of the playoff race. United in need of points, lost their third-straight match on the road to Vancouver Whitecaps, 2–1.
On October 15, United lost their fourth-consecutive match, making it their longest losing streak since August 2010. Playing Chicago, United took a 1–0 lead in the 90th minute thanks to a penalty kick from De Rosario. The slight goal lead seemed certain to return United back into a playoff position for only Chicago's Sebastián Grazzini
Sebastián Grazzini
Sebastián Hugo Grazzini is an Argentine footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer.-Career:...
and Diego Cháves
Diego Chaves
Diego Cháves is a Uruguayan professional footballer currently playing for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Youth:Diego was born in Uruguay, but spent most of his childhood in Argentina...
to score for the Fire in the third and fifth minutes of stoppage time, respectively. Despite the loss, United barely remained in the playoff chance. In order for the club to earn a berth in the playoffs, they will need New York to lose or draw at home to Philadelphia, while United must win their final two matches. Doing so would require winning consecutive matches, something United has not done since June 2009.
D.C. United will conclude the regular season by hosting the Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
on October 19 and Sporting Kansas City on October 22.
See Also
- 2011 in American soccer2011 in American soccerThe 2011 Season is the 99th season of competitive soccer in the United States.- National teams :The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Senior:...
- 2011 Major League Soccer season2011 Major League Soccer seasonThe 2011 Major League Soccer season was the 99th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 33rd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 16th season of Major League Soccer. The season marked the arrival of two new league clubs, Portland Timbers and Vancouver...
- 2011 D.C. United season2011 D.C. United seasonThe 2011 D.C. United season was the club's 17th year of existence, their 16th season in Major League Soccer, and their 16th consecutive season in the top-flight of American soccer. D.C. United will be trying to salvage a poor showing last season, finishing at the bottom of the MLS standings...
- D.C. UnitedD.C. UnitedD.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...