It’s been a week since the nasty U.S. Open Cup match betweenD.C. United and Philadelphia that brought to an end the Black-and-Red’s hopesof claiming a third title in America’s oldest soccer competition. Although eight days have passed sincethe heated affair at the Maryland Soccerplex, the hostilities have not.
“There are definitely some hurt feelings,” defender RobbieRussell admitted this week. “There’sdefinitely some bitterness. Losingin the [Open Cup] like that and then playing that same team the first gameback, there’s going to be some emotion left over.”
In the Open Cup, what began as a physical match didn’t takelong before turning ugly. Over 120minutes of winner-take-all play, the rivals combined for 43 fouls, five yellowcards and two ejections.
The two teams meet again at PPL Park on Saturday night, andUnited’s players are ready for more of the same.
“I think last game added onto that,” said Brandon McDonaldwhen asked about the rivalry Wednesday afternoon. “What it’s going to bring to the next match is what fanswant to see. Grit and fight and abattle.”
A protagonist in the Open Cup hostilities, McDonald will beespecially revved up this weekend. United’s defensive leader earned a 112th minute red card afterretaliating against Philadelphia captain Carlos Valdes, who was also sent off. More painful to McDonald than his own earlyexit, was D.C.’s unexpected elimination from a tournament the club hadspecifically targeted.
“We are going in with a chip on our shoulder,” addedMcDonald. “They took away Open Cupfrom us, which is something we really wanted collectively as a group. So we have to come out and prove thatthat was a fluke.”
