The Chicago game tapes have remained close at hand for D.C. United, and not just because the two teams have faced each other twice in the last month.
“I’ve saved a lot of edits in case we’d face them because I think the likelihood was pretty strong that we were,” said United head coach Tom Soehn. “It gives us a chance to break them down, instead not just with the opponent, but with ourselves, what can we do different.”
United has lost to Chicago every time the teams have met in the playoffs during in D.C.’s first 11 seasons: 1998 in the MLS Cup final, 2003 and 2005 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Both teams have only a few days to prepare for the first match of this year’s total-goals series, with the Fire having a day less than United after playing on Sunday. D.C., meanwhile, is anxious to get back on the field after an ugly 3-2 loss to Columbus in the regular-season finale Saturday.
“[The short week] concerns us only because of Jaime [Moreno] and [Luciano] Emilio,” said midfielder Ben Olsen of the team’s injured starting forwards. “Besides that, I have no problem. No one’s feeling the effects too much of the Columbus game — that might be a good thing, playing lackadaisical, no one really put too much effort into the game.”
Neither Moreno nor Emilio practiced Monday.
“Having more experience with Jaime, the way he’s responded, he says he’s going to be fine,” said Soehn. “With Luciano, it’s a new one. He hasn’t been hurt much. It’s still a learning curve to see how well and how fast he heals. We’ll probably evaluate right up until game time.”
D.C. United (16-7-7) at Chicago Fire (10-10-10)
Eastern Conference
Semifinals, Game 1
When » Thursday, 8:30
TV » ESPN2
