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They were handing out for free Official Licensed Panini World Cup Sticker Albums at the metro station last night. The catch? To fill your album, you gotta buy the sticker packets (sorta like baseball cards) "in the same store where you bought this album." What store is that?
Let's start with some previews of tomorrow's big match against the best-in-the-west FC Dallas.
D.C. United-FC Dallas matchups to watch - Washington Post Express: The WaPo Express gives us player-on-player matchups for tomorrow. My favorite is going to be Mauro Diaz (March's MLS Player of the Month) against Perry Kitchen (DCU's honeybadger).
DC United vs. FC Dallas | MLS Match Preview - MLSsoccer.com: It's hard to believe this, but in the all-time history of meetings between DCU and FCD, FCD comfortably leads the series (18-14-8). Except at RFK (5-8-5).
Scratching the Chalkboard: Scouting DC United - Big D Soccer: Our second cousin twice-removed's brother-in-law's former college roommate site down in the Big D lays out Dallas's chances at RFK. They think they can take us because (a) we don't take a lot of shots, based on average shots per game. (My response: ignore our average; look at our trend.). And (b) FCD scores a lot on set pieces, and DCU gives up enough fouls in our own defensive third to give FCD enough opportunities to set-piece their way to victory. (My response: while teams score on us, the goals-against haven't really been on set pieces so much this year. We've gotten much better on that front. Bring on your set piece, FCD.)
D.C. United news and notes: Pontius surgery, Hamid status, Olsen comments - Washington Post: We missed this update from Goff yesterday. Hamid is going to be available to play tomorrow, but...
Matchday Program: April 26, 2014 | D.C. United: Dykstra's gonna own the cover of tomorrow's Matchday Program. If he doesn't start tomorrow? Embarrassin'! (My bet is that he starts.)
Exclusive Interview with Mark Yancey, Film Director of "Muerte o Gloria" - Soccerly: Sounds like we're gonna get to see the Barra Brava film one way or another soon -- via film festival, theatre distribution, Netflix, or tv. Can't wait.
Seattle Reign 3, Washington Spirit 1 - Washington Post: Video highlights from the Spirit's Wednesday night loss in Seattle. They play in Chicago on Saturday.
The 50 greatest World Cup moments - countdown to Brazil 2014 - Telegraph: The Telegraph is starting a 50-day countdown to the World Cup. The NYT already started the same thing, except different. Here's their Day 50.
From Phoenix to Rio: Two Americans go on World Cup road trip - FOX Sports on MSN: Fun story! Two filmmakers are going to drive from Phoenix to Brazil, making a documentary along the way. Crazy kids. Maybe they can find out where I can buy some stickers for my Official Licensed Panini World Cup Sticker Album, of which, I would note, the English alt-dance act Pop Will Eat Itself are fans.
Watch Ademilson score a crazy bicycle kick in Copa do Brasil - SBNation.com: A thing of beauty.
Footage Shows Ghostly Figure Sweep Across Soccer Stadium (VIDEO) - Huffington Post: This is not a ghost. It's clearly a demon. The infamous Offside Demon. See how he makes that run? Casting a shadow? Making you think there's a defender just over your shoulder, right where you need a defender to stay onside? This entity haunted RFK all last year.
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