Arena returns for the United-Revolution title game

Jim Williams, The Examiner
Nov 4, 2006 5:00 AM (5 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 5 of 7,803 articles

The Cowboys and the Redskins will be playing in front of 90,000 fans at Fed Ex Field on Sunday but the best game of the day will be at RFK. At 4pm about four miles away at Redskins old home, the fans will be dressed in all black and the joint will be packed and jumping.

With the Eastern Title on the line it will be like old times as United will face the Revolution in what has all the elements of a wide open last man standing kind of game.

Sunday's game is a rematch of one of the best games in MLS history when D.C. beat New England at RFK in the 2004 Eastern Conference Final.

After the two teams played to a 3-3 draw in regulation, United topped the Revolution on penalty kicks and went on to capture its fourth MLS Cup championship.

ESPN2 jumped on the Washington – New England, Eastern Conference Championship game the moment it came up on the board. There is a wild history between these two teams and ESPN did not want to miss the fun.

They will have a three man booth that will feature Bruce Arena’s return to D.C. and he will join Dave O’Brien, Eric Wynalda, and sideline reporter extraordinaire Brandi Chastain on the telecast.

I spoke to Wynalda about the game: “I see this as a really wide open game. Most of the same players are on United and New England that played in that classic 2004 game. This match up should provide almost the same result. I see lots of goals being scored in this one.”

Wynalda on the United fans: “This is a great soccer city, and the Washington fans are passionate about their team. I am sure that Sunday’s game will be loud and electric just what both sides deserve knowledgeable true soccer fans, it will be great stuff.”

Wynalda on the MLS: “The league is doing many positive things with all the new soccer only stadiums opening. But I would like to see us go to more of a world schedule so we finish the season in March or April and not up against football or the World Series.”

Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. E-mail him at jwilliamsexaminer@gmail.com.
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