D.C. United bids farewell to the focal point of a world of soccer memories in the United States as it plays at RFK Stadium for the final time against the New York Red Bulls on Sunday.
RFK is the only stadium D.C. United has known since MLS debuted in 1996 and that will change next season with the opening of brand new Audi Field. There will be no playoff games this season in the nation's capital as United was long ago eliminated from playoff contention.
"The magic of this place is coming here every day and it was constant. The floods and the animals and the leaks but it was all beautiful," coach Ben Olsen said of the stadium that was never meant as a soccer stadium but has hosted every version of men's professional soccer since it opened in 1961. It was also a host venue for the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Olsen, himself, played his entire career with the club barring a loan spell in England.
"It was all great. It was our culture here. That part was always a rallying cry here. At first it was just kind of 'RFK' then it got old and even more broken down. As other places got more stadiums it became more ancient. It almost became more our home."
The Red Bulls will also have a chance to savor the occasion. They know they've snuck into the playoffs with the sixth and final spot in the Eastern Conference so there's little to play for other than getting ready for the knockout round.
Depending on results in other games on the league's Decision Day, the Red Bulls could face any of four other teams so there's no point looking ahead to preparing for the opposition when there are so many things to be sorted out.
"All four are pretty good teams. I think anyone we match up against has been good for most of the season. We know that going into any of those games, we will technically be the underdog," midfielder Sacha Kljestan said.
"It's a chance to play a good 90 minutes and make (coach) Jesse (Marsch) think about the playoffs. I would guess the starting lineup is pretty much set for that first playoff game but substitutions always can make the difference in some of these games and some of these guys can push for some minutes in the playoffs."
D.C. will be without Rob Vincent (knee), Patrick Nyarko (concussion), Taylor Kemp (hip) and Steve Birnbaum (concussion). The Red Bulls have Gideon Baah (leg) and Mike Grella (knee) out with season-ending injuries while Aurelien Collin (plantar fasciitis) remains out.
