D.C. United survived its two-game series against New York. But the rest of the Major League Soccer playoffs — this weekend’s Eastern Conference final against New England and possibly the MLS Cup — will be decided in single games.
United head coach Peter Nowak doesn’t like either format. “I don’t prefer the playoffs whatsoever,” said Nowak, who pointed to teams that didn’t play well during the first half of the season but still advanced to the playoffs. In addition, unlike the NBA or Major League Baseball, he said a two-game series doesn’t give a team a chance to come from behind.
“The away-and-home series is a Russian roulette,” said Nowak.
United’s league-best regular season record is forgotten. D.C. isn’t the favorite in Sunday’s match versus the Revolution, 2-1 winners in their last visit to RFK Stadium.
“With New England coming back and winning the way they did, and we didn’t play our best at all,” said United midfielder Brian Carroll. “Having said that, we’re still advancing. Sure, I’ll take it as an underdog.That’s fine with me.”
