D.C. United may have one of MLS’s best records over the past four seasons, losing only 12 times, but its regular-season success has failed to translate to the playoffs over the last two years. Tonight, United is again faced with the prospect of its MLS Cup hopes ending at home as it hosts Chicago in the second leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The last time the Fire visited RFK in the playoffs, United went into the game knowing that a victory of any margin would see it through to the Eastern finals, but the team lost, 4-0, matching the worst playoff defeat in club history.
The following season wasn’t much better: after winning on the road, D.C. was trailing New York at home before a late, late equalizer saw the team through to the Eastern Conference finals, where a 1-0 home loss to New England was enough to see the Revs through to MLS Cup 2006.
This year Chicago travels to D.C. on the back of a rather easy 1-0 first-leg victory at Toyota Park. To make matters worse, the Fire dominates the head-to-head series, having never lost a playoff game to United in six meetings since 1998. Coach Tom Soehn dismisses the historical significance of past results. “Our guys are composed and know exactly what to do,” he said. United will be boosted by the return of starting forwards Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno, who were both nursing injuries and played as substitutes in the first leg.