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Today, D.C. United announced their preseason schedule, with it officially beginning this Saturday when the team meets at RFK Stadium. After that, it will be two days in Washington before the team travels to Bradenton, Florida, for training and friendlies at the IMG Academy. After a brief stop back in Washington, the team will head off to the Carolina Challenge Cup in Charleston to take on the Battery, Houston Dynamo, and Seattle Sounders. And then its just a week until the beginning of the season.
While I want the team to do well in the preseason as well as the regular season, the sight of a successful preseason has started to leave me with a sense of dread. In 2013, the team had a fairly successful preseason; in 2010, the preseason convinced many of us into thinking that team could actually be good. So, as we enter the preseason, let us all (me especially) couch our enthusiasm and moderate our grief. But, as I'm sure we all agree, a win in the Carolina Challenge Cup is always great, and especially if it came against the Dynamo and the Sounders.
D.C. United 2014 Preseason Schedule (all times EST)
Jan. 25: Players report to RFK Stadium
Jan. 26-28: Training in Washington, D.C.
Jan. 29-Feb. 12: Preseason trip to Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy)
- Feb. 5: D.C. United vs. Toronto FC (7:00 p.m.)
- Feb. 8: D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire (7:00 p.m.)
- Feb. 12: D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire (10:00 a.m.)
Feb. 13-19: Training in Washington, D.C.
Feb. 20-March 2: Preseason trip Charleston, S.C. (Carolina Challenge Cup)
- Feb. 22: D.C. United vs. Houston Dynamo (5:00 p.m.)
- Feb. 26: D.C. United vs. Charleston Battery (7:30 p.m.)
- March 1: D.C. United vs. Seattle Sounders FC (5:00 p.m.)
March 3-7: Training in Washington, D.C.
March 8: MLS home opener vs. Columbus Crew (7:00 p.m.)
