D.C. United's preseason troubles continued when it fell to Kansas City, 5-0, Monday. Just like two days earlier against Columbus — 4-2 loss — United was blitzed for four first-half goals.

Igor Simutenkov had two goals, and Chris Klein and Chris Brown also tallied in the first half. Klein and Preki each added a pair of assists in the first half. U.S. national team forward Josh Wolff, playing his first minutes since tearing his right ACL last August and being traded from Chicago this winter, scored.

''While it's disappointing to lose, I'm not unduly worried,'' said United coach Ray Hudson. ''We were missing a lot of guys, and weÆre finding out who we are, how and where we want to play.''

The game marked the return of Santino Quaranta, who had spent the previous week at his Baltimore home to witness the birth of his first child. Girlfriend Petrina Brubach gave birth to Olivia Naomi last Wednesday. Quaranta had also missed the U-20 trip to Portugal.

The MetroStars and Columbus Crew played to a 2-2 tie in the other Monday friendly in Florida.

The MetroStars return home today without trialists Frederic Meyrieu (France), Torres Mestre (Spain) and Ivan Iglesias (Spain) to prepare for Friday's trip to Argentina for two weeks of preseason.

The Wizards will face the Chicago Fire on Wednesday on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in the last match between MLS clubs before they break camp in Florida.

Chicago announced that it has canceled its preseason trip to Portugal because of the international uncertainty. The Fire will head to the West Coast, where they will train in the San Jose area and Portland, Ore.

MLS PRESEASON FRIENDLIES:

March 10 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Kansas City 5 D.C. United 0. Goals: Brown (Klein) 10, Klein (Preki) 15, Simutenkov (Preki) 27, Simutenkov pen. 38, Wolff (Francisco Gomez) 78.

Kansas City — Oshoniyi (Goode, 46), Garcia (Brunt, 79), Conrad, Burciaga, Klein (Jewsbury, 67), Preki (Alavanja, 79), Gomez, Gutierrez (Armstrong, 46), Brown (Arnaud, 67), Simutenkov (Wolff, 46).

D.C. United — Warren, Reyes, Stokes, Ivanov, Carroll (Namoff, 46), Stewart, Kovalenko, Quintanilla (Eskandarian, 46), Etcheverry, Quaranta, Petrov (Curtis, 46).

March 10 in Boca Raton, Fla.

Columbus 2 MetroStars 2. Goals: Matteo 1, Garcia 61; Pope (Moreno, Jolley ) 35, Droze (Moore, Regan) 90.

Columbus — Presthus, Torres, Akwari (McCarty, 46), Joy, Leitch (Dunseth, 46), Matteo (Garcia, 46), (Hejduk, 46), Paule (West, 46), Belbey (Buddle, 46), Gonzalez (Martino, 46; Walsh, 89), Washington (Ritch, 46; Maisonnueve, 72).

MetroStars — Grafer, Ziadie, Jolley (Arena, 74), Pope (Addo, 62), McAnaspie (Glowienka, 46), Williams, Clark (Moore, 74), Sanje (Regan, 46), Moreno (LeBlanc, 70), Mooney (Savarese, 62), Magee (Droze, 74).