D.C. United isn’t alone.
Down 1-0 after the first game of their MLS Eastern Conference semifinal series against Chicago, United faces a must-win situation Thursday when the Fire visit RFK Stadium. But so do two of the three remaining higher seeds, and history is on their side.
“I don’t think I’m entirely surprised,” said United defender Greg Vanney. “What you have is the lower seeds battling up until the end of the season to get into the playoffs. They’re in a rhythm, and they get to play at home. Everything is in their favor to try and get their first result. Having said that, for the higher seeded teams, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to actually go away 1-0.”
Since 2003, lower seeds that carried a lead into the second leg advanced just twice in eight occasions. Chicago lost to New England in last year’s semifinals after beating the Revolution, 1-0, in the first game.
United also suffered defeat just twice at home during the regular season, where they also scored a league-high 37 goals. The Fire scored the second-fewest road goals (15) in the Eastern Conference.
“They’re coming to our place to play,” said United head coach Tom Soehn, “A place we’re very good at, and a place we’re very dangerous at, a place we’ve scored a lot of goals at. So it’s going to be difficult for them.”
Moreno, Emilio practice
D.C. United forwards Jaime Moreno and Luciano Emilio trained with the team Monday. Both players were left out of the starting lineup last week due to injury
