D.C. United SC : Sporting Kansas City

After the first days in America had been dedicated to sightseeing in New York and Philadelphia, and both a game of the NFL (NY Jets - Miami Dolphins) and one of the NHL (Philadelphia Flyers - Washington Capitals) had visited, it was now also a game of the Major League Soccer to visit.

On the program was the game DC United against Sporting Kansas City. While for Kansas City it was still about the title in the Eastern Conference (and thus the participation in the North American Champions League), the game for Washington had only cosmetic character. Since the penultimate game of the season was lost, the last chance for a place in the Wildcard Games was gone.

Nevertheless, almost 16,000 spectators did not want to miss the match. As is usual at other sporting events, fans were already outside the stadium hours before kickoff and set up their beer kegs, grills and pavilions in the parking lot and surrounding meadows. Such pavilions were also provided by the club and could be rented by various clubs. Thus, in one pavilion families with children celebrated with grilled burgers and Heineken, while in the pavilion next door a college group prepared for the game with beer pong and beer drinks from plastic funnels. But everything went off in an orderly fashion - it's a pity that such pregame parties wouldn't work like that for us.

But we had a different goal, as we had already purchased our tickets in advance at discounted prices from the fan club "Screaming Eagles". When we picked up the tickets, we also got a DC United scarf as a bonus, which was of course gladly accepted. The fan club had also set up its own fan village. Several beer barrels of various kinds as well as several grillers provided for good tendency. Also the one or other fan from Kansas City was to be found among the people.

The stadium itself is the former stadium of the Washington Redskins, so a football stadium. However, the second tier is not open during DC United games (except for a small area for away fans). Because of the empty space so noticeable, the stadium looks more empty than full, even when 16,000 people attend. The seats are raised on a rather flat "steel construction". This steel structure bends violently during bouncing of the fan groups, so that one follows the first minutes nevertheless somewhat anxiously the support.

The prices for food and beverages have football and ice hockey level. Beer around 10 dollars (though 0.7 liters) or 8 dollars (for 0.5 liters). Either you're willing to pay that, or - as we could see - you reach into the bag of tricks and smuggle rum into the stadium in seat cushions and buy coke for 4 dollars.... ;-)

The game itself ran rather sluggishly along and strongly reminded of a kick of the Austrian Bundesliga. Partially gross blunders in the build-up play and a lousy chance exploitation resulted in a 0:0 at the break. In the second half, the same picture. Then, in the 56th minute, a beautiful shot after a penalty area "poke" and Kansas City took a 1:0 lead. Washington tried hard after that, but it was far too intricate and they continued to make mistakes in the build-up to the game. In the 92nd minute then although still a giant equalizing chance, but the ball went only to the crossbar.

So bleibtbs with a 1-0 victory for the guests, who thus fixed the title in the Eastern Conference. Washington said goodbye to the winter break, and we from the RFK Stadium ...