D.C. United announces Capital Cup schedule, Euro 2020 goes bonkers, and more: Freedom Kicks for 6/29/2021

It’s Tuesday, it’s too hot, D.C. United has a new friendly tournament and its first transfer rumor of the summer, and the Washington Spirit have star players appearing on podcasts.

Let’s start here: if you have the means, please consider putting some money towards the GoFundMe to help support Robert “Big Rob” Gillespie’s son Marco.

Audi Field Announces the Addition of Liga Deportiva Alajuelense to the Inaugural Capital Cup Along with the Tournament Schedule | DCUnited.com
The Capital Cup is next week, and we have a schedule:

• Wednesday, July 7: Alianza FC vs. Club Puebla (5:30pm), D.C. United vs. LD Alajuelense (8:30pm)
• Sunday, July 11: D.C. United vs. Club Puebla (5:30pm), LD Alajuelense vs. Alianza FC (8:30pm)
• Wednesday, July 14: Club Puebla vs. LD Alajuelense (5:30pm), D.C. United vs. Alianza FC (8:30pm)

So I guess I’ll be at Audi Field three more times than I expected.

Four things about D.C. United’s gut punch of a loss at NYCFC | Black and Red United
Five things about the Washington Spirit’s late show against Kansas City NWSL | Black and Red United
We did a whole bunch of writing about two games that, broadly speaking, had a lot of similarities. Also, just something I learned Sunday night: if you do two games in a row that include two-goal comebacks so late in both games, it makes it so you can’t really think until you get a full night’s sleep!

DC United observará de cerca a Jurgens Montenegro | ElMundo.cr
I’ve seen two spellings for Jurgens/Jurguens Montenegro, a 20-year-old forward who just got his first cap for the Costa Rican national team in their Nations League loss to Mexico. He scored 13 goals in the recently-concluded Costa Rican league season with LDA.

Reminder that for United to sign an international striker, they would potentially run into both international roster spot restrictions (all six are taken unless Kimarni Smith’s recent loan down to Loudoun continues for a while, plus Erik Sorga on the IR, plus Jovanny Bolivar on loan) and issues with the fact that they’ve got 31 players and 30 roster spots. Obviously that hasn’t stopped them from making the moves that maxed out all these spots, so don’t let the limits make you think they’re just gonna stand pat.

The Scrambled Egg Pod ft. Emily Sonnett | Just Women’s Sports
The Sam Mewis/Lynn Williams podcast Snacks is pretty fun, and this latest episode has the Washington Spirit’s own Emily Sonnett.

Sticking with woso:

There’s a lot great about what Angel City FC is doing, and they’re going to revolutionize NWSL. Doing an NFT is not one of those things!

Up at the Plex in a few weeks, the NISA fall season kicks off with the Maryland Bobcats on the road for most of August before hosting their next home game on August 28.

MLS investigating alleged racial slur used during Timbers-MNUFC match | Stumptown Footy
American soccer, like so many aspects of American life, continues to have a racism problem. Diego Chara of the Portland Timbers says a racial slur was directed at him sometime during Portland’s game against Minnesota United. MLS has confirmed an investigation.

Out of sight, out of mind: Toronto FC find themselves on a slippery slope | Waking the Red
Toronto FC are going through the double whammy of a temporary relocation that removes them from their fans, and also being very bad by trying to emphasize an approach everyone knew they wouldn’t succeed at. The result: Fan apathy is at a place where it hasn’t been in a long, long time.

Croatia 3-5 Spain | BBC
Spain gave up one of the most bizarre goals (one that reminded me of this bit of DCU history) you’re gonna see, came back to go up 3-1, gave up two goals after the 85th minute to end up in extra time, and then scored twice to advance to the Euro quarterfinals. It was nuts.

Switzerland’s Sommer saves Mbappé’s penalty to send France crashing out | The Guardian
Switzerland took the lead, then had a penalty saved by Hugo Lloris, then saw France score multiple wondergoals en route to a 3-1 lead, then scored in the 81st and 90th minutes to force extra time...but only after surviving Kingsley Coman hitting the bar. The match went to penalties, where only Kylian Mbappé (with the final shot) was denied. It was nuts.

Before I finish up, just wanted to note that I have joked online about the return of the Viennetta, the world’s fanciest dessert that you can find in a box at the grocery store that probably only costs $5, but that as a kid I was very sure was too expensive for my working class home.

Well, I found a knockoff version at a grocery store chain known for making their version of a lot of desserts and snacks, and bought it. It was...fine.

And on that note, enjoy your oppressively humid, 90 degree Tuesday!