D.C. United played the first of eight consecutive away matches Saturday, but compared to what awaits, the trip to greater Philadelphia was a stroll around the block.
Before Audi Field opens July 14, United will visit, in order, Salt Lake City, San Jose, Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto, Boston and Los Angeles again. That’s four matches in the Pacific time zone, one Mountain and two Eastern.
MLS’ World Cup break (June 14-29) will provide some relief. And in the week between San Jose and the first L.A. stop, the team plans to stay in California.
Overall, United will log 19,539 air miles, beginning with the May 12 match at Real Salt Lake and concluding with the July 4 game at the L.A. Galaxy.
- DCA-SLC: 3,702 miles (round trip)
- DCA-SJC: 2,424
- SJC-LAX: 308
- LAX-DCA: 2,311
- DCA-SEA: 4,656 (round trip)
- DCA-YYZ: 718 (round trip)
- DCA-BOS: 798 (round trip)
- DCA-LAX: 4,622 (round trip)
There is also the possibility of short- or medium-range trips for the U.S. Open Cup, which, for MLS teams, begins with fourth-round matches June 6 and continues with the round of 16 on or around June 20. United will learn its first opponent and location at the May 24 draw.
Before the 2 1/2-hour bus trip to Philadelphia for a 3-2 defeat to the Union, United (1-4-2) had not endured any coast-to-coast trips: Orlando, Atlanta, Columbus and Kansas City.
The eight-game away stretch is tied for the second longest in league history, trailing Sporting Kansas City’s 10 to start the 2011 season while Children’s Mercy Park was under construction. Sporting went 1-6-3.
With Audi Field construction continuing, United’s two early-season home matches were staged March 17 at Maryland SoccerPlex in Montgomery County – the team stayed overnight near the stadium because of the early-afternoon kickoff – and April 14 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.
For competitive balance, all MLS teams must fly commercial, with four exceptions per season. In case of major travel disruptions, the league will arrange – and pay for – a charter. That occurred to United on opening weekend when heavy winds grounded many flights in Washington. (D.C. management has not sprung for a prearranged charter in many years.)
United has not fared well on the road: 0-7-2 with a 23-8 scoring deficit since winning at Colorado last August on an own goal.
The good news: After this demanding stretch, the last five trips of the season comprise standard flights to Atlanta, Montreal and Chicago and train or bus rides to matches against the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC.
From mid-July until late October, United will play 15 matches at the new, 20,000-capacity venue two blocks from Nationals Park. For D.C.’s road-weary crew, no boarding passes are necessary.