by TRAVIS CLARK
One of the hottest and humid days of D.C.'s summer couldn't keep the fans away as Real Madrid took on D.C. United on Sunday. And while the crowd on hand heavily favored the Spanish club, the 72,000 fans saw D.C. United perform admirably despite the final score of 3-0.
While the match had no competitive meaning, Tom Soehn elected to go with a full strength squad, fresh off what had to be a draining 120-minute game against Firpo on Tuesday. They came out in their typical 3-5-2 formation, which raised some eyebrows if you consider how much space that can open up for Ronaldo and Kaka.
From the opening kick, United looked up to the task, holding the ball well at times. Ronaldo and Madrid were not without their chances in the first half, as the Portuguese winger managed to get behind the United defense on a couple of occasions.
Two things favored United early on: they were composed when they had possession of the ball, and they weren't in awe of their competition. Rookies like Chris Pontius and Rodney Wallace, perhaps more likely to be affected, weren't fazed by their clashes with Xabi Alonso and Ronaldo.
However, going forward they were lacking in that final ball to unlock the Madrid defense and create a scoring opportunity.
In defense, Greg Janicki and Dejan Jakovic held their own through the first 45 minutes—and while they had Josh Wicks to thank for the 0-0 score at halftime, it was a solid performance, especially when you take into account the 5-1 thrashing Real had given Toronto FC Friday night.
Madrid almost looked shocked that United was putting up this good of a fight, and it began to show with a number of cynical fouls in the second half.
The tide eventually turned, something that seemed inevitable from a club that has players making more money per year than the entire opposing team.
The insertion of Arjen Robben for Wesley Sneijder proved to be the catalyst. The former Chelsea man put in a man of the match performance in the second half, playing a hand in the first two goals from Gonzalo Higuain before scoring the third himself.
Credit should go to United for getting stuck in and not letting themselves get run off the field. While they may not have threatened Madrid's goal, mustering just four shots, they kep their shape well and helped entertain the crowd.
More important games lie ahead for D.C., starting this Saturday in Toronto. While they sit in third place, they remain just a couple points ahead of the playoff pace in the East.
As for Real Madrid? It's hard to judge them against an opponent like United. They certainly have all the talent in the world, but their performances against the likes of Villareal and Barcelona will define them this year.
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What did you think of the game on Sunday? Think D.C. will make the playoffs at the end of the season? How will the collection of superstars get along at Madrid?
