EPL fans showed up for the DC United v. Everton friendly
Everton finished its U.S. preseason tour tonight with a definitive 3-1 win over DC United on a very hot night in front of almost 13,000 fans. Those in attendance (about half of whom were Everton faithfuls) got to see some of the EPL team’s biggest names on the pitch, including Phil Neville, Leighton Baines, and Tim Cahill. Both teams were coming off disappointing and draining losses on Wednesday, the Toffees to Philadelphia and DC United to New England.
The big story coming into the match was the absence of Tim Howard, who was not playing this week with the team’s permission. Unlike Wednesday’s game, Howard did show up to RFK tonight and was involved in the action off-the-pitch. Howard, who had recently played at RFK in the U.S. mens national team Gold Cup win over Jamaica in June, not only took the field for the pre-game ceremonies, but signed autographs before the game and participated in a scholarship program at halftime.
On the field, Everton jumped on the Black-and-Red early when Victor Anichebe received a pass from Leighton Baines on the wing and, and muscling around Brandon McDonald, fired a shot past Bill Hamid in the fourth minute. Twelve minutes later Everton midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, after being kept onside by Chris Korb, took a pass over the top and beat Hamid one-on-one to make it 2-0 for the visitors. DC did have some chances in the first half, particularly when Andy Najar in the 30th minute almost guided a shot top shelf that beat Mucha but hit the woodwork. However, the Toffees controlled the action and were by far the better team on the pitch. ”The first half I was extremely disappointed in several players that just didn’t get that you don’t just walk onto a field…and play 60-70%,” said DC head coach Ben Olsen after the match. ”I was very disappointed”
The second half started with a bang for the home team as newly substituted Dwayne De Rosario found Chris Pontius with a long pass over the top which he converted to cut the Everton lead to one. Despite improved play from DC and the players off the bench, however, it was Everton that had the better chances. Magaye Gueye finished off the Black-and-Red in the eighty-second minute when he volleyed a pass from Jermaine Beckford past Steve Cronin.
As mentioned, the crowd was small for tonight’s game, as less than 13,000 fans were in attendance. With temperatures in DC over 100 degrees for a good part of the day, the weather may have played a factor in these numbers. Everton captain Phil Jagielka noted the crowd after the game when he said, “unfortunately [RFK's] not full”. He did recognize the local fans, saying “We looked around in the stands today and the majority of the shirt colors we saw were blue… we hope we gave them something to shout about”.
Everton gaffer David Moyes had nothing but kind words for MLS and the teams, joking after the game that he knew the sport was growing in the US because the number of press in the press conference was larger. ”MLS is growing, I think it is moving forward, I think the stadiums are improving, [and] I think your country’s big enough to have more teams.”
Wow this has been a horrible year for mls in these friendlies, if they even matter. I wish these games were shown on tv I would love to see these games. I’ve only seen man u spank revolution and Madrid smoke galaxy.
In a way though these friendlies are kinda important. I mean this is a chance for mls to show all the real soccer fans who don’t give mls the light of day, and they are basically proving that mls sucks. For those of you that think mls can compete against epl clubs and still hold on to the legitimacy of single entity, these games give you your answer
Then why are you here?
Im here cuz i can be. im guessing you might think of me as the opposite of Charles. but unlike that buffoon i can actually provide a educated arguement so if you want to debate fine, if not then just dont say anything.
Im a interested MLS bystander, im not a MLS fan
So you are here to basically rip on the league. I think they call that trolling. Being critical is one thing, but an interested bystander wouldn’t come on here just to say “MLS sucks”. Real intelligent. Kind of pathetic actually.
have you even seen my other comments i post on other topics? i do alot more than critic MLS. im not going to argue with you anymore, i dont care what you say.
Alex, most of the friendlies involving MLS teams against EPL teams have been on television, including DC United against Everton (which was on Fox Soccer Channel).
Here’s the complete TV schedule of upcoming games on TV: http://www.epltalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule
Cheers,
The Gaffer
Thanks The Gaffer. unfortunatley i wish i had Fox Soccer Channel. (im not protesting FSC, i used to have that channel and i love it) i had it with Dish but when i moved to Direct it was more expensive to get a package that includes FSC so im screwed. i do have Fox Deportes which i havent tried (luckily i can listen to it in english through SAP even though i can understand spanish fine). but eh, im not gonna split hairs to see a mls club lose
“im not gonna split hairs to see a mls club lose ” with a smiley face no less
An interested bystander indeed.
well no mls club has won yet. so im not putting any money on a mls club
btw are you Charles retarded son? cuz you sound like him.
So, San Jose didn’t beat West Brom last week 2-1? Whose retarded son are you?
To compare clubs that spend as much as a Manchester United to an MLS side is not fair, but comparing the West Broms of the world to MLS sides might be a little more fair, even though even they still outspend San Jose.
And btw, are you Roger(Promotion/Relegation)’s retarded son because you sound like him.
I think Union beat Everton.
But these are only pre season games for training. And the MLS clubs do not start their starting 11 for the whole games. The MLS league games are more important to the teams, and I understand why.
Do I think MLS is on par with EPL no…but the league is growing. If MLS teams had the pockets the EPL teams have, we would be able to compete in real games.
YEAH TOFFEES! Go Blues!
COYB!
whats COYB?
COYB = Come on you Blues
Standard Everton sign off
Why the Scottish Lion Rampant flag???
I assume for David Moyes. I didn’t ask because they gentleman responsible for the flag was napping.
Oh I guess you’re right.