MLS PLAYOFFS 2012: D.C. United gears up for Dynamo in the Eastern Conference finals. won series against New York Red Bulls

November

Thursday, 1 November 2012
Time/Result	Home	Away	Venue
2-1	Los Angeles	Vancouver	Home Depot Center
Friday, 2 November 2012
Time/Result	Home	Away	Venue
0-0	Seattle	Real Salt Lake	CenturyLink Field
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Time/Result	Home	Away	Venue
1-1	D.C.	New York	RFK Memorial Stadium
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Time/Result	Home	Away	Venue
2-0	Houston	Sporting KC	BBVA Compass Stadium
0-1	Los Angeles	San Jose	Home Depot Center
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
Time/Result	Home	Away	Venue
Postponed	New York	D.C.	Red Bull Arena
1-0	Sporting KC	Houston	LIVESTRONG Sporting Park
1-3	San Jose	Los Angeles	Buck Shaw Stadium
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Time/Result	Home	Away	Venue
0-1	New York	D.C.	Red Bull Arena
0-1	Real Salt Lake	Seattle	Rio Tinto Stadium
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Time/Result	Home	Away	Venue
1:00 PM PT2:00 PM MT3:00 PM CT4:00 PM ET21:00 GMT22:00 21:00 23:00 KSA8:00 AM AET2:30 (+1) IST4:30 PM VEN1:00 (+1) UAE5:00 AM SST5:00 AM 4:00 2:00 PM MST4:00 PM EST16:00 ET19:00	Houston	D.C.	BBVA Compass Stadium
6:00 PM PT7:00 PM MT8:00 PM CT9:00 PM ET2:00 (+1) GMT3:00 2:00 4:00 KSA13:00 AM AET7:30 (+1) IST9:30 PM VEN6:00 (+1) UAE10:00 AM SST10:00 AM 9:00 7:00 PM MST9:00 PM EST21:00 ET0:00	Los Angeles	Seattle	Home Depot Center
Sunday, 18 November 2012
Time/Result	Home	Away	Venue
12:00 PM PT1:00 PM MT2:00 PM CT3:00 PM ET20:00 GMT21:00 20:00 22:00 KSA7:00 AM AET1:30 (+1) IST3:30 PM VEN0:00 (+1) UAE4:00 AM SST4:00 AM 3:00 1:00 PM MST3:00 PM EST15:00 ET18:00	D.C.	Houston	RFK Memorial Stadium
6:00 PM PT7:00 PM MT8:00 PM CT9:00 PM ET2:00 (+1) GMT3:00 2:00 4:00 KSA13:00 AM AET7:30 (+1) IST9:30 PM VEN6:00 (+1) UAE10:00 AM SST10:00 AM 9:00 7:00 PM MST9:00 PM EST21:00 ET0:00	Seattle	Los Angeles	CenturyLink Field

(John McDonnell / The Washington Post)

Mike Shanahan must change

Mike Wise 1:35 PM ET

OPINION | The Redskins coach has yet to win during his time in Washington, but still insists he is on the right track.

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Terps on the rise in College Park

Alex Prewitt NOV 8

With an influx of talent and a steady corps of returning players, big things are expected in Coach Mark Turgeon’s second season.

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Lakers fire Mike Brown

Matt Brooks 1:40 PM ET

So much for all that talk of patience with the new-look Lakers. After one win in five games, Coach Mike Brown is out in L.A.

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Steven Goff 3:15 AM ET

D.C. United advances to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in six years. United will face Houston in a two-leg series starting Sunday in Texas.
the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal series between D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls:

Red cards: 3
DCU investors receiving bear hugs from Ben Olsen: 3
Own goals: 2
Saved penalty kicks: 2
Penalty kicks retaken: 1
Proper goals: 1 (178 minutes into 180 minutes of play)
Goalkeepers tweeting from locker room during match after red card: 1 (Bad, Bill, bad!)
Venue switch: 1
Postponements: 1
Snowstorms: 1
Buses to New Jersey over two days by United supporters: 16
Drama: Infinite.
“I am getting older by the day with these games,” Chris Pontius said. Well, yes, but we know what he’s getting at.
United is 6-0-3 since Labor Day — all six victories by one goal.
Okay, so now what?
Well, United will board a charter Friday afternoon in the New York area and fly to Houston to begin preparing for the first leg of the conference finals Sunday at 4 p.m. ET (NBC Sports Network). The second match will take place the following Sunday at RFK Stadium (same time, same channel).
In the Western finals, the Seattle Sounders will face the Los Angeles Galaxy, starting Sunday night at Home Depot Center (9 p.m. ET, ESPN).
We do know this: MLS Cup on Dec. 1 will take place in Washington, Seattle or Los Angeles. As the semifinalist with the fewest regular season points, Houston would visit Seattle or L.A. By winning the Eastern title, United would host the Cup at RFK Stadium, regardless of the Western opponent.
How did United fare against Houston in the regular season?
April 28 in Washington: 3-2 victory
May 12 in Houston: 1-0 loss
July 15 in Houston: 4-0 loss (Hamid red card)
United doesn’t have to win the opener at BBVA Compass Stadium, but securing a point would bolster the cause considerably. Achieving that is another story.
In nine trips to Houston, United has suffered eight losses and earned one draw. The scoring margin is 18-4.
Don’t expect to see Andy Najar in Sunday’s match. MLS is likely Friday to suspend him further for flinging the ball at the referee last weekend, an act that earned him a red card and banishment from the Red Bulls finale.
You will see Joe Willis, who saved the penalty Thursday in place of the ejected Bill Hamid. Andrew Dykstra will serve as the back-up.
Here’s my match report with fun quotes from the 1-0 victory over the Red Bulls.
Watch the video package:

Go behind the scenes for United’s celebration:

Vote in the poll: