D.C. United hasn’t won in three games it’s played against Mexican teams in Mexico. But look no further than head coach Tom Soehn for evidence of United’s intention to turn back the tide of history in tonight’s second leg in the Copa Sudamericana round of 16 against CD Guadalajara (Chivas).
“When we played them there last time, I thought we played them even,” said Soehn of United’s 2-1 loss at Chivas in April in the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup semifinals. “I think we’re a better team now. We’re going in there to set the tone. We’re not going to bunker, we’re going to play our game.”
United enters the game ahead, 2-1, thanks to last week’s win at RFK Stadium in the first leg, a game that got Chivas head coach Jose Manuel de la Torre fired.
United goalkeeper Troy Perkins, who had a ball slip through his hands for a Chivas goal in the last visit to Estadio Jalisco, knows that and other factors will influence the game,
“The way I look at it, we don’t have an advantage,” said Perkins. “That’s the way we’ve got to look at it because it’s going to be a nightmare going in there. … They’ve got a new coach so every one of their players is fighting for a position and a job. It’s going to be a brawl.”
Copa Nissan Sudamericana
D.C. United vs. CD Guadalajara (Chivas)
Round of 16, second leg; United leads, 2-1
Where » Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara
When » Tonight at 9
TV » Fox Sports Español, Fox Soccer Channel, 11 p.m. (tape delayed)
Radio » 1160 AM, SRN
