With Wayne Rooney’s arrival in the District coinciding with the impending opening of D.C. United’s new state-of-the-art home at Audi Field, the inaugural season will be one to remember for Black-and-Red fans. Here are the top five matches to catch D.C.’s new #9 at Audi Field during the stadium’s historic first season.
Audi Field Inaugural Match: July 14 v. Vancouver Whitecaps, 8 PM ET
Audi Field opens its doors to the public and to a new era for the Black-and-Red this July. With Major League Soccer’s summer transfer window officially opening July 10, the Audi Field inaugural match will be the first match in which Wayne Rooney will be eligible to make his first appearance with the club. And with a potential Rooney debut and the first-ever Audi Field game all in the same evening, United fans won't want to miss this opportunity to watch history unfold.
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The Atlantic Cup: July 25 v. New York Red Bulls, 8 PM ET
Rooney will get a taste of his first Atlantic Cup match with the Black-and-Red when United host their rivals from New Jersey on July 25. As one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in Major League Soccer, the Atlantic Cup is sure to produce high tensions and drama during the sides’ first meeting at Audi Field. As D.C.’s biggest signing in the history of the club, Rooney will look to make an impact in his first rivalry game in the District.
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United v. Colorado Rapids: July 28, 8 PM ET
The Black-and-Red host the Colorado Rapids two weeks after opening Audi Field. The United-Rapids matchup will be the first game in which Rooney will be pitted against a friend and former teammate who was also a foe and former competitor in the English Premier League. Tim Howard, the Rapids' goalkeeper, played with Rooney at Manchester United and later became a rival of the striker when Howard moved to Everton. On July 28, Rooney will be firing shots at his old EPL comrade.
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United v. Chicago Fire: October 7, 1 PM ET
Rooney will again face off against a former teammate when the Chicago Fire and Bastian Schweinsteiger come to town in October. The stars played with one another at Manchester United for two seasons before Rooney returned to his boyhood club Everton and Schweinsteiger came stateside to join MLS and the Fire. See the former teammates reunite at Audi Field this fall.
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United v. New York City FC: October 21, 3 PM ET
In the Black-and-Red’s last regular season match at Audi Field, Rooney and David Villa, two of the most prolific strikers in international soccer history, will go head to head in the District. The Oct. 21 matchup will be just the second-ever meeting between Rooney and Villa. Both men will be hoping to push their team into a more favorable playoff position in the league’s second-to-last week of regular season action. Reserve your spot at Audi Field to see the two legends share the pitch once again and to catch the last game of the historic inaugural season.
