Final: DC 0 - KC 1 C.J. Sapong scores the match-winner in the 93 minute http://www.dcunited.com/matchday/matchtracker http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2012/03/preview-sporting-kc-opens-2012-season-dc-united
Lewis Neal acquired Englishman joins United following season with Orlando City D.C. United announced today that the club has signed English midfielder Lewis Neal. The 30-year old joins United after playing the 2011 season with USL Pro side Orlando City, helping the first-year club win the league’s championship. Neal will be available for selection following receipt of his visa. http://www.dcunited.com/press-release/2012/03/lewis-neal-acquired
RFK Stadium lease extension Events DC and D.C. United announce RFK Stadium lease extension Events DC and D.C. United today announced an agreement for the team to play its home games at RFK Stadium for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. RFK Stadium has served as the team's home stadium since its inception in 1996. Capacity for Major League Soccer matches at RFK Stadium during this lease will be limited to the Mezzanine level and lower seating bowl. Full sale of the 19,647 seats for any of United's League fixtures will constitute a sellout. D.C. United has also added a premium seating opportunity adjacent to the home team bench and has additional premium seating plans in development. "The intention is to cover the upper deck seating area of the stadium for MLS games and we are presently discussing that opportunity with several prospective sponsors," explained Payne. "It's a great branding opportunity, but it's more important that our supporters become accustomed to a 20,000 seat stadium, and we expect that limiting the capacity will encourage an increase in season ticket sales." http://www.dcunited.com/press-release/2012/03/rfk-stadium-lease-extension
Plans detail Buzzard Point soccer stadium for D.C. United Construction of a soccer stadium for D.C. United on Buzzard Point in Southwest Washington would require assembling properties from five owners, including the District, according to development plans obtained by Capital Business. The 20-page concept plans, dated July 2010, propose a “Sports & Entertainment District @ Buzzard Point” stretching from Nationals Park to a new D.C. United stadium. The soccer stadium would be bordered by T Street to the south, 2nd Street to the west, Half Street to the east and Potomac Avenue and R Street to the north. http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...or-dc-united/2012/03/08/gIQAsFvL5R_story.html
Kick Off: DeRo demands DC step it up tonight on NBCSN D.C. United say the 0-0 draw in Vancouver last weekend was a step in the right direction but “now we want results,” says veteran defender Robbie Russell. The chance to get the first win of the season comes tonight on the NBC Sports Network as United host FC Dallas (7:30 p.m. ET). Captain Dwayne De Rosario says his club has to “step it up a little more at home,” where they have collected just five points in the last six league games played at RFK Stadium. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/03/30/kick-dero-demands-dc-step-it-tonight-nbcsn
They Live! United pour it on, thump FCD 4-1 for first win of the season WASHINGTON – D.C. United erased a woeful start to their season with their first victory of the 2012 campaign, a 4-1 win against FC Dallas Friday night at RFK Stadium in the nation’s capital. A three-goal outburst in the second half proved the difference as United were spurred on by veteran Maicon Santos and rookie Nick DeLeon. Dallas, meanwhile, struggled to keep up after an even first 45 minutes and dropped their second road decision in a row. http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-03-30-dc-v-dal/recap
Recap: D.C. United 0 - Seattle Sounders FC 0 Post ensures DC and Seattle play to scoreless draw The absence of a finishing touch was the name of the game Saturday night at RFK Stadium, as D.C. United and the Seattle Sounders FC battled to a 0-0 draw in front of 15,651 fans. Despite a lack of clear-cut opportunities throughout the match, Seattle left back Marc Burch nearly stole the show late on, as he sent a header crashing against the bar moments after coming into the match. http://www.dcunited.com/news/2012/04/recap-dc-united-0-seattle-sounders-fc-0
Rookie Rankings: Nicky De atop heap after Week 4 At this stage of the season, Nick DeLeon is the flavor of the month when it comes to the voting, the result of two AT&T Goal of the Week-worthy strikes in the season's first month. However, Kelyn Rowe and Ryan Meara aren't far behind, while top picks Andrew Wenger and Darren Mattocks haven't hit their strides in Montreal and Vancouver just yet. As playing time and the fortunes of each player change during the coming months, so will these rankings. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/04/04/rookie-rankings-dcs-deleon-atop-heap-after-week-4 Nicky De was a unanimous choice at the top after week five A week after debuting at the top of the inaugural rookie rankings, Nick DeLeon was a unanimous choice at the top after week five, remaining in voters memories via two AT&T Goal of the Week-worthy strikes in the season's first month and solid work on both sides of the ball. Moving up this week were Ryan Meara, who narrowly missed out on his first-ever shutout against Columbus, and Sebastian Velasquez, who is filling in ably for a Real Salt Lake side that's had no problem picking up points. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/04/10/rookie-rankings-rsls-velasquez-moves-top-5
Recap: New England Revolution 1 - D.C. United 2 Pontius strikes late as Black-and-Red rally past Revs Second-half substitute Chris Pontius scored with nine minutes to play to secure D.C. United's 2-1 victory at New England on Saturday afternoon. Pontius clinched all three points and extended United's unbeaten streak to four matches with a deft cut inside and a fine finish two minutes after his introduction. The goal completed the visitors' comeback after Maicon Santos' header canceled out José Moreno's first MLS goal inside the opening 20 minutes of the contest. http://www.dcunited.com/news/2012/04/recap-new-england-revolution-1-dc-united-2
Total Domination Recap: Pontius hits hat trick as United thump New York WASHINGTON – Before the season, few would’ve predicted D.C. United were Eastern Conference contenders, but after they cruised past the New York Red Bulls 4-1 Sunday night, that’s exactly what they are. Amid heavy rain at RFK Stadium, the star of the night was Chris Pontius, who scored his first professional hat trick, as United ran out to a four-goal lead before New York’s Thierry Henry pulled one back with a 70th-minute free kick. Rookie Nick Deleon scored the other goal for D.C. The win stopped the Red Bulls’ four-game unbeaten streak, and extended United's to six matches. It also lifted D.C. to second place in the Eastern Conference. http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-04-22-dc-v-ny/recap
MLS Player of the Week Chris Pontius named MLS Player of the Week D.C. United announced today that midfielder/forward Chris Pontius was unanimously selected by the North American Soccer Reporters as the MLS Player of the Week. Pontius is the first player in five years of voting by the North American Soccer Reporters to be a two-time unanimous selection. http://www.dcunited.com/press-release/2012/04/chris-pontius-wins-player-of-the-week
Rookie Rankings: DeLeon keeps on rolling for United Each week during the 2012 season, MLSsoccer.com's editors will cast their votes for the frontrunners, contenders and dark horses for MLS Rookie of the Year. By way of a virtuoso rookie campaign, Sporting Kansas City's C.J. Sapong took home the award in 2011, leaving a new crop of rookies to fight for the top honor handed out to first-year pros in Major League Soccer. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/04/24/rookie-rankings-deleon-keeps-rolling-united
DeRo: No goals, no problem "The most important thing is we have other guys stepping up and scoring." Through eight matches this season, only four players across Major League Soccer have taken more shots than D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario. Yet for all of his 26 attempts thus far in 2012, the reigning league MVP is still scoreless. It is a situation that would frustrate most players accustomed to piling up stats as DeRo has over his MLS career, but the Black-and-Red captain couldn't - frankly - care less. "I don't need to score," De Rosario said matter-of-factly after D.C.'s training session on Tuesday. "Everybody else is scoring and we are winning. My goals will come. The most important thing is we have other guys stepping up and scoring." http://www.dcunited.com/news/2012/04/no-goals-no-problem
Timing, poise lead DeLeon closer to DCU rookie record In just eight games this season, the midfielder has amassed three goals and three assists, while filling the void left early in the season by Andy Najar and Chris Pontius. His play has been integral to D.C.'s early success this season, and after a couple of good games to start his professional career, there’s no sign his performances will drop off. DeLeon is already closing in on one United record that few gave him a chance to set on draft day. With three goals in MLS play this season, he is just two goals behind the record of five goals for a United rookie, set by Santino Quaranta (2001), Freddy Adu (2004) and Andy Najar (2010). With 26 games remaining, few would now question his ability to break that record. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/04/26/timing-poise-lead-deleon-closer-dcu-rookie-record
DC 2 - TFC 0 Pontius and Salihi score for the Black-and-Red http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-05-05-tor-v-dc/highlights
Recap: D.C. United 2 - Colorado Rapids 0 .C. United hasn’t utilized their Designated Players this season as most teams would. On Wednesday night though, that would all change, as United comfortably defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-0 at RFK Stadium. With Dwayne De Rosario, Branko Boskovic, and Hamdi Salihi starting together for just the second time this season, United rode goals from De Rosario and Salihi past the Rapids for their sixth win of the season. http://www.dcunited.com/news/2012/05/recap-dc-united-2-colorado-rapids-0
Recap: DC 3 - TFC 1 DeRo's brace leads United past struggling Toronto FC Toronto FC’s horrid start to the 2012 just keeps getting worse, as they recorded their ninth straight loss against a rampant D.C. United side on Saturday night. United ran out 3-1 winners at RFK Stadium, as former TFC star Dwayne De Rosario provided two early goals which set the capital club on their way. De Rosario netted his fourth and fifth goals of the season in the first half, as United won for the second time against Toronto this season. http://www.dcunited.com/news/2012/05/recap-dc-united-3-toronto-fc-1
De Rosario two goals shy of century mark for MLS career WASHINGTON – Don’t look now, but the 100-goal club in MLS is about to get a new member. Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario, who has traveled far since his days with FSV Zwickau in Germany and the Richmond Kickers in the old A-League, is just two goals short of becoming the seventh MLS player with 100 career goals in the regular season. With two more goals, De Rosario would be the first player to reach the plateau since Landon Donovan hit the century mark back in 2010. With Donovan, De Rosario would join the likes of Jeff Cunningham, Jaime Moreno, Ante Razov, Jason Kreis and Taylor Twellman as the only MLS players to notch 100 goals during regular-season play. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/05/25/de-rosario-two-goals-shy-century-mark-mls-career
Rivalry Week on Comcast SportsNet Soccer fans treated to iconic rivalry games leading up to June 16 live match against the Philadelphia Union Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, the region’s leading source for multiplatform sports coverage, along with D.C. United today announced plans to air encore presentations of five memorable D.C. United matches June 10-14 as a part of D.C. United Rivalry Week. The special five-game series will feature classic matches against heated rivals spanning the 17-year history of the Black-and-Red. http://www.dcunited.com/press-release/2012/06/rivalry-week-on-comcast-sportsnet
Ben Olsen named All-Star coach MLS All-Stars to face Chelsea FC on July 25 at PPL Park jor League Soccer has selected D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen to lead the MLS All-Stars against UEFA champions Chelsea FC on July 25 at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. Ben Olsen’s technical staff of Chad Ashton, Pat Onstad and Josh Wolff will serve as his assistant coaches, as will Philadelphia Union Interim Team Manager John Hackworth. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2, TeleFutura, and in Canada on TSN and RDS starting at 8:30 p.m. ET. http://www.dcunited.com/press-release/2012/06/ben-olsen-named-head-coach-of-2012-mls-all-stars
