United still hunting for first win of the season
D.C. United’s newest rival is filled with old faces. Even D.C.’s own new guy, forward Danny Allsopp, will face someone familiar when the Philadelphia Union take the field for the expansion franchise’s inaugural home game against United on Saturday.
Allsopp and Union midfielder Fred were teammates in Australia before the Brazilian came to Washington. The two, who caught up last weekend, thought they would be teammates again before Fred was abruptly traded to Philadelphia in January.
“He’s speaking a lot better English now than when he was in Melbourne,” said Allsopp. “It’ll be good, hopefully, this weekend to play against him, as long as he doesn’t do too well.”
But the guy that United (0-2-0) will be most anxious to face will be on the sideline, Philadelphia head coach Peter Nowak, who guided D.C. to the 2004 MLS Cup title and the 2006 Supporters’ Shield before leaving to join the U.S. national team coaching staff in 2007.
“You gotta love Peter, what he has done for the league, D.C. especially,” said United midfielder Santino Quaranta, who was traded away by Nowak in 2006. “I got a lot of respect for him. He knows what makes us tick and how to get under our skin, and I’m sure that is what he is telling his guys.”
Nowak’s staff and roster are both full of Washington connections, whether it’s team coordinator Josh Gros, who manned the right wing for United from 2004-07, or Fred and Andrew Jacobson, who were key pieces in the D.C. midfield last season. The Union (0-1-0), who lost their first game of the year at Seattle, also have former Maryland Terrapins on the coaching staff and roster, including goalkeeper coach Rob Vartughian and goalkeeper Chris Seitz.
“Throw in the proximity of the cities and probably not a lot of love between cities for other reasons,” said United midfielder Devon McTavish, “It will be a start of a good rivalry.”
