Five things to watch: DC United vs. New York Red Bulls
By Kyle McCarthy
New York visits DC United to kick off the first of two Eastern Conference semifinal series Saturday night. Here are five points to watch ahead of the first playoff match at RFK Stadium in five years:
1. Steady as she goes: United must calm the inevitable bout of nerves likely to sweep through the side before the opening whistle. No projected starter has played more than eight playoff games. United can’t afford to let its inexperience in these matters show or provide too much space to Kenny Cooper and Thierry Henry in the early stages of this match.
2. De Ro or no?: Dwayne De Rosario rather surprisingly returned to training on Friday after missing a couple of months with a sprained left knee. It surely seems a bit too early for him to stake a claim for playing time, but his overall level of fitness (if his knee holds up) gives at least modest credence to the idea. United coach Ben Olsen must use De Rosario carefully to avoid placing the recently solid defensive work at risk.
