D.C. United loses, Steve Birnbaum hacks & more: Freedom Kicks for 3/12/18

So as it turns out, one way to combat the clock change? Down a bunch of prescription-strength cough syrup (I’m sick, really!). Worked like a champ. Also, thanks to everyone who came out to our shindig at Dock FC yesterday. I hope you had fun and avenged the absences of others by eating their weight in tacos.

Recaps of D.C. United’s 3-1 loss to Atlanta United from us (with more from us here), MLS, WaPo and ProSoccer USA (with more from them here). Dirty South Soccer has the ATL side handled.

Playing Through: with DC United’s Steve Birnbaum (WTOP): Birdbomb talks about the team and events while playing some golf.

Moreno: Vamos a trabajar para que el equipo vuelva a grandes cosas (MLS): Meanwhile, the latino side of dot.com speaks to Junior Moreno and gets his opinions on his new league, team and country.

D.C. United adds 2017 USL MVP Kelly (us): ICYMI, D.C. added some scoring depth Friday afternoon.

Heroic defensive display earns 10-man visitors a precious point (Wales Online): In partner club news, Swansea went down to 10 early after a Jordan Ayew red, and weathered a 75-minute or so storm to share road points with Huddersfield Town. Swans are 14th now in a bottom half of the table that sees 11th place Brighton and Hove Albion 7 points ahead of 19th place Crystal Palace.

Inter earns 0-0 draw with Napoli (Serpents of Madonnina): In more partner club news, Inter Milan got a scoreless draw with Napoli, knocking them out of the top spot of Serie A. Inter are 5th currently, a game in hand over Roma and Lazio.

‘Our captain forever’: Fiorentina says goodbye to Astori (ESPN): I like the Wright Thompson pieces on ESPN and this one as Fiorentina bury team captain Davide Astori following his sudden death last week is another one of those. Fiorentina then went out Sunday, through the moments of silence, and Astori’s lineup replacement Vitor Hugo scored the game’s only goal as Fiorentina beat Benevento 1-0 and Hugo saluted a shirt with Astori’s likeness on it. This game.

Finally, here is a trailer for a Bill Simmons-produced HBO documentary on Andre the Giant, airing next month. I await this release: