The D.C. United Special Olympics Unified Team, presented by Brightspot, have completed their 2019 season. After signing 14 players in May, the team competed in two matches against MLS-affiliated unified teams.
The squad hosted Special Olympics Massachusetts and the New England Revolution Unified team on July 12. Before the match, the athletes toured the National Air and Space Museum and had dinner at Mission Navy Yard while getting to know their teammates. On match day, the teams played at Audi Field before the first-team sides squared off in the MLS Regular Season. The D.C. United Special Olympics Unified Team defeated Massachusetts 5-3 with goals from Derek Abrego, Melvin Saravia, Jessica Amaya, Eric Viera and Omar Mendoza.
The following week, the players traveled to Atlanta to face Special Olympics Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The night before the match, the athletes toured SunTrust Park and saw the Washington Nationals defeat the Braves in the first game of the series. The next day, after watching D.C. United compete with Atlanta United in MLS play, the DC Unified Team beat Atlanta 5-3 with a pair of goals from Abrego and Viera while Mendoza also scored.
Following the conclusion of the two Unified matches, DC athletes Derek Abrego and Eric Viera along with Head Coach Sam Cates will travel to Orlando to represent D.C. United in the Special Olympics Unified All-Star match on July 31. Abrego, Viera and Cates will be joined at Exploria Stadium by D.C. United Captain Wayne Rooney who is attending his first MLS All-Star Game.
