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D.C. United has lost its first two games of the season, and things won't get any easier today against the undefeated Vancouver Whitecaps. Vancouver defeated Montreal 2-0 to open the season, and won on the road against Chivas USA last Saturday.
Vancouver has yet to allow a goal this season. For a D.C. United team that has been out-scored 4-1 thus far this season, that could mean trouble.
SB Nation's D.C. United blog Black and Red United has a tremendous preview of the game up. Here's a snippet:
Striker Eric Hassli is a deceptive player. Despite his size, he's not actually a huge force in the air. Like Emiliano Dudar, Hassli has a bad head injury in his past, and Rennie is trying to help him get over the mental block that has kept him from being an aerial threat.
What that means for DC is that Hassli will probably still be a target, but with the ball being played to his feet. The Whitecaps will be try to keep the ball on the ground, and they have shown glimpses of being very good in that regard. They aren't cohesive yet though, so a positionally solid game throughout the defense and midfield should go a long way from keeping Vancouver from attacking fluidly. Focus and communication will be vital.
Game date/time: Saturday, March 24, 10:00 p.m. ET
Location: BC Place
TV: RSNP
For more on D.C. United, visit Black and Red United. For more on the Whitecaps, visit 86 Forever.