Last year, D.C. United needed a frantic, nearly mathematically impossible finish to scrape their way into the playoffs. This year聽鈥� at least through the season鈥檚 opening weeks, things couldn鈥檛 be more different 鈥� especially away from home.
D.C. United (4-1-2) enters the weekend with 14 points, atop the Eastern Conference. They鈥檝e tallied seven points through their first three road contests, with a draw at NYCFC and wins in both Orlando and Colorado.
Compare that to last season. It took them 12 road contests to accrue seven points and they never got a second win away from Audi Field, finishing a dismal 1-9-7 on the road.
Of course, that team looked very different through much of the road slate than the current rendition. With Audi Field鈥檚 mid-summer opening, United slogged through a wander-filled first half of the campaign, playing 12 of their first 14 games on the road. By the time their new fortress opened, the roster included Wayne Rooney on the front line and Bill Hamid at the back, and they took advantage of the backloaded slate to rise from the bottom of the standings to make the postseason.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important for us to remember that it鈥檚 a long season and things aren鈥檛 always going to be so sweet throughout the course of the year,鈥� said goalkeeper Bill Hamid at training this week. 鈥淲e have to be prepared for those moments when we do have a slight down, and we have to readjust quickly and find our form again.鈥�
The defense struggled with Hamid gone in Denmark the first half of last year. They didn鈥檛 get their second shutout last year until their 22nd game, August 19, against New England and their fourth until their 31st game, in mid-October.
They鈥檝e held opponents off the board four times in their first six games.
鈥淭he dynamic of the offense definitely takes a little pressure off the defense,鈥� said Hamid. 鈥淭hose guys are doing great. They scored three quality goals last week.鈥�
That鈥檚 helped cover for a banged up back line that forced homegrown players Chris Durkin and Jalen Robinson into the starting lineup in Denver last weekend, and opened up the opportunity for fellow academy player Donovan Pines to make his MLS debut. United built a 3-1 lead and survived a second half dominated in possession by the Rapids to escape with a 3-2 victory.
Hamid understands the importance of the strong road start. Now, it鈥檚 a matter of backing that up at home. United鈥檚 hot start was halted momentarily in their last home game, a 4-0 wipeout by LAFC that saw them fall behind three goals before losing Wayne Rooney — both their goals and assists leader — to a red card early in the second half. Now, they鈥檒l get an NYCFC squad they鈥檙e quite familiar with and which they stole a point from in their first meeting at Yankee Stadium.
鈥淲e know them pretty well,鈥� said head coach Ben Olsen. 鈥淲e saw them last year late, and already again early this year. We鈥檙e pretty familiar with them, they鈥檙e familiar with us, and we鈥檒l have to be at our best to get the result.鈥�
But Olsen is cognizant that a win — especially against a team that has struggled out of the gate — is important.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been two games since we鈥檝e sent the fans home happy,鈥� he said.
Two home games without a win is hardly a crisis. But the Black and Red haven鈥檛 endured any such stretch since Audi Field opened last year, responding to both home losses and their one draw with wins each time. That鈥檚 how dominant they鈥檝e been at the new digs.
鈥淲e鈥檙e feeling pretty comfortable there,鈥� said Olsen of Audi Field. 鈥淣ow it feels like home.鈥�
Looking over his shoulder at the fading relic of the team鈥檚 former home looming across the street from the practice fields, he put the sentiment in context.
鈥淭his feels like a long time ago. Playing at RFK feels like years ago.鈥�
