I hope you’ve bought your peanuts, because the circus is coming to town. With less fanfare than a year ago (read: tickets are not sold out), David Beckham and the Rest of The Galaxy, whoever those guys are, are making their way to DC for a nationally televised game (ABC Super Happy Fun Soccer sunday).

If Los Angeles were in the East, they’d be tied for third place, but since they’re in the West they’re in first. They lead the league in scoring (2.38 GPG), and they also lead the league in sucky defending (1.84 GPG). They have the two leading goalscorers in the league, leading MVP candidate Landon Donovan (11 goals to go with 6 assists), and Edson Buddle (9 goals). They have Spice Boy David Beckham, who has 4 goals and 6 assists himself. They have… nobody else of note, really.

If DC United were in the West, they’d be tied for second place, but since they’re in the East they’re in fifth. They’re second in the league in scoring (1.71 GPG), and they also are second in the league in sucky defending (1.78 GPG). They have the (tied for both) 3rd and 7th leading goalscorers in the league, reigning MVP Luciano Emilio (8 goals) and Jaime Moreno (5 goals to go with 6 assists).

DC United are unbeaten in five matches, a run which has included four wins. Los Angeles are unbeaten in three matches, a run which has included two wins. Truth be told, I can’t make anything of the Galaxy’s form. Look at this, starting from opening weekend:

LWLDWDLLWWLWWD

While DC United’s performance arc looks like a V, the Galaxy’s looks like an EKG monitor.

All of this is a way of saying that I’m really not expecting any zeros on the scoreboard when it reads 90:00, but I have absolutely no idea who’s going to be leading the thing at the end. All I’m hoping is that David Beckham does not score on Sunday, because I don’t want to hear the squeals.

Freedom 5 - 0 Richmond Kickers Destiny
A 2nd minute strike by Ali Andrzejewski was enough, but Andrzejewski added one more, and the Freedom got single goals from Lori Lindsey and Christie Welsh to stake a 4-0 halftime lead, before getting one more from Anabel Jimenez in the 2nd half before rounding out the scoring on Sunday at RFK. The match won’t count in the standings, as it was just an exhibition.

Majestics 0 - 1 Jersey Sky Blue
The visiting Sky Blue scored the only goal of the match four minutes after halftime. The Majestics still sit on 1 win from 8 matches, and a long way from the playoff berth that they earned a year ago.

Monarchs 0 - 1 Charlotte Eagles
The host Monarchs fell to their fourth straight loss on Saturday, surrendering a 73rd minute goal. The Monarchs have scored just one goal in those four losses. Saturday’s match began a four game home stand.

This Week’s Local Soccer Record (W-D-L): 1-0-2
Aggregate: 8-7-17*

* - Freedom match was an exhibition, thus it does not count in the standings

Yes, I’ve been delinquent in my DC United coverage, but that certainly doesn’t mean I haven’t been watching. In fact, the last 3 scheduled matches have left me pretty wet: Houston, @Chicago, and Bunch of Bull. Yes, I was in Chicago and I will be again in August. We’ll be back in the swing of things before Sunday’s return of the Quakes, but for the time being we’re looking at a bunch of other soccer - first local, then national.

Freedom 1 - 1 Majestics
This really was a match that the Freedom should have won. They outshot the Majestics 32-3 (no, not a typo) on Sunday, and were it not for a 9th minute penalty kick converted by former Freedom midfielder Kelly Hammond which allowed the Majestics to bunker in, the result might’ve been different. Halftime substitute Tiffany McCarty scored on 86 minutes to salvage a point for the Freedom, who had five individual players either equal or eclipse the number of shots mustered by the Majestics as a team.

Freedom 2 - 1 New York Magic
A scoreless first half gave way to a second half that started with a bang, as a Magic goal in the first minute after halftime gave the visitors a 1-0 lead on Saturday. Lori Lindsay answered on 64 minutes to level the match, and Jill Gilbeau scored on 86 minutes, after having entered the match just 6 minutes before.

Royals 3 - 3 Richmond Kickers Future
The Royals started hot, scoring in the opening minute and in the 7th minute through forwards Matthew Brady and Anthony McPeak respectively. A 26th minute Kickers goal was answered three minutes later by Royals defender Richard Strong. Two Kickers second half goals eight minutes apart (57′, 65′) split the points.

Monarchs 0 - 4 Harrisburg City Islanders
For the second time in three matches, the Monarchs found themselves traveling to Harrisburg City to play the Islanders. For the second time in three matches, they were shut out by the Islanders (3-0 last time). The loss is the third straight for Real Maryland, whose results this season have gone thusly: LWLLWWLLL, so at this rate they should be winning their next three matches. It’s a good thing the next match against the Islanders is the fourth match from now, since I don’t have a feeling they’ll be winning that one.

US MNT 8 - 0 Barbados
Yeah, I’m not going to list the goal scorers here. I think my coed rec team could go to Barbados for the return leg and still win on aggregate.

US WNT 2 - 1 Australia (Peace Queen Cup)
US WNT 1 - 0 Brazil (Peace Queen Cup)
So wait… this means we win the World Cup retroactively, right? I mean, the Brazilians had the belt, and we took it, right? Anyway, the Peace Queen Cup, held annually in South Korea, gives the US two group opponents that they faced in the World Cup, and one more (Italy) who they did not. Natasha Kai and Abby Wambach sandwiched an Australia goal with goals of their own in the first group match, and Amy Rodriguez scored the lone goal to topple Brazil.

US U-20 WNT in WCQ
Okay, so these matches haven’t happened yet, but I’m all about the knowledge. the U-20s are in Puebla, Mexico for the CONCACAF Championship, which doubles as World Cup Qualifying for the region. The US will face Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday, Cuba two days later, and Mexico two days after that to close out group play. The top three teams in the eight team tournament qualify for the Cup.

This Week’s Local Soccer Record (W-D-L): 1-3-1
Aggregate: 8-7-15

Freedom 5 - 1 New Jersey Wildcats
The Washington Freedom rebounded from their first loss of the season the week before with a resounding win over visiting New Jersey. Lori Lindsey led the way with two goals, one of which came at the penalty spot, and Tiffany McCarty, Christie Welsh, and Emily Janss rounded out the scoring. Backup goalkeeper Chante Sandiford made three saves, standing in for Kati Jo Spisak, who was knocked out of the previous match with a concussion. The Freedom improved to 3-0-1 on the year, and they have two home games next weekend, one Saturday and one Sunday.

Majestics 2 - 3 Connecticut Passion
Majestics 1 - 4 Boston Renegades
Two losses over a weekend homestand was not what the doctor ordered for the winless Northern Virginia Majestics. What’s worse is that their first loss came after Kelly Hammond and Katherine Watson scored two minutes apart to give the Majestics a 2-0 lead over Connecticut after 17 minutes on Saturday. An own goal in the 27th, followed by Connecticut strikes in the 39th and 70th doomed the home side to defeat. The following night, 41 scoreless minutes passed before Boston scored all four of their goals in a 36 minute span, before a Katherine Watson 89th minute goal sullied the Boston clean sheet. Things don’t look to be improving immediately for the Majestics, as they face the Freedom on Sunday at Maryland Soccerplex.

Royals 1 - 3 New Hampshire Phantoms
Royals 0 - 3 Fredericksburg Gunners
Two straight draws were an improvement after three straight losses, but now the Northern Virginia Royals are sliding again, losing two in a row this weekend. Saturday they allowed three goals to the Phantoms in 17 minutes before finally tallying in the 43rd through Adam Wilson. On Sunday the Royals opened the scoring on themselves with an own goal on 36 minutes before surrendering a penalty on 74′, and another goal on 77′ to complete the 3-0 loss to Fredericksburg.

Monarchs 1 - 2 Cleveland City Stars
A 10pm kickoff on a Sunday night? That’s what a recorded 2,080 people endured to watch the City Stars avenge an earlier defeat to Real Maryland. Nilson Perez gave the Monarchs a 33rd minute lead (with Ronald Cerritos assisting), which held until the 85th minute. Real Maryland looked to at least earn a point until Cleveland snatched it away in the 90th minute.

Mmmm… road trip.

Freedom 0 - 1 Boston Renegades
A 54th minute goal by Mary McDonnell propelled the visiting Boston Renegades to victory, sending the Freedom to their first loss of the season before 1400 at the Maryland Soccerplex on Saturday. Despite outshooting Boston 20-8, the Freedom were unable to crack Boston goalkeeper Meghann Burke who made eight saves on the night. The Freedom lost goalkeeper Kati Jo Spisak to a concussion in the 66th minute, but she’s fine after being released from the hospital.

Majestics 2 - 2 New Jersey Wildcats
It took 35 minutes for the visiting Majestics to jump on top of New Jersey when Natalie Arias scored the initial goal of the match. New Jersey answered with two goals within the next 33 minutes to take the lead before substitute Angie Harvey salvaged a point for the Majestics on 82 minutes. The draw is the Majestics’ second in a row and it brings their three-match road swing to start the season to a close. They have two home matches this weekend, on Saturday at Fairfax High School and Sunday at James Long Park in Haymarket.

Quarter Volley is disturbed by the fact that the Northern Virginia Majestics seemingly are becoming less and less “Northern” as the years pass. Any Northern Virginia kid such as myself knows that Haymarket is not Northern Virginia.

Royals 1 - 1 Reading Rage
Royals midfielder Oscar Berrios scored 14 minutes into the match to give the Royals the advantage over Reading and a chance to avenge a 2-0 loss to the Rage the weekend before. The lead did not last long, as Reading scored 14 minutes later to salvage a draw. Royals Goalkeeper Alexander Horwath made 9 saves to keep the Royals in the 63 minute match which was shortened by lightning.

Monarchs 0 - 3 Harrisburg City Islanders
A crowd of 1633 saw the homestanding Islanders defeat Real Maryland 3-0. As you might imagine, I can’t find anything to say about that result.

The way this season has gone thus far, I never thought I’d be disappointed in a draw at New England, but I am. For about an hour last night, DC United was dominant offensively. They moved like a well-oiled machine and, if not for Matt Reis standing on his proverbial head, would have scored four or five goals. I wasn’t even really that worried when New England scored its first goal, not because of the confidence I have in this team this season, but because of the confidence they’d given me that game. I was convinced the three points were coming.

Of course I was wrong. Some of the problems that United have faced all year reared their ugly heads once more. Zach Wells’ command of the penalty area was improved, but not where it needs to be. Bryan Namoff’s failed clearance on the near goal at the end of the first half almost erased United’s halftime advantage. Fred failed twice to clear the ball on Adam Cristman’s goal to cut the deficit to one, and Namoff kept Cristman onside, and he must’ve known it too as he was the only deep defender not running with his arm up. I can’t fault Wells for the first goal, as he was essentially hung out to dry by poor defending, but how much of the second goal was his fault? It looks like he misjudged the cross, starting to come out from the goal and then making for the far post. It’s unclear whether he would’ve been able to stop the first headed ball from Jeff Larentowicz, who abused Santino Quaranta to put it back across to Kheli Dube, who ran past not one, but two DC United players who barely breathed on him to find himself unmarked to to level the match. I don’t expect this team to be perfect, but these little mental errors or mistakes in execution showed up at the wrong time and cost the team two points.

It wasn’t all bad. DC United became only the second team to score more than one goal on the Revs at home through fluid and dangerous attacking that had me on the edge of my seat. It felt like every time United got within 30 yards of the goal they were getting a shot off that would test Reis. Luciano Emilio looked as alive as he has all season, dribbling defenders and making space to get off shots, and he was in the right place at the right time to score the initial goal. New England looked like it had given up as Fred slammed home the third effort of a brief assault on the Revs goal, as the defenders seemingly forgot he was there and watched as the ball flew across the line to extend the advantage to two. Domenic Mediate, playing centrally in the back, looked fairly comfortable for someone I thought was a wide midfielder. Again, Wells was better, but not as good as he needs to be.

There were pluses and minuses to come out of this match, but after watching that performance I feel a little bit better about the team than I did after the 2nd Toronto match. I didn’t expect the draw, but I got it, and if you told me 24 hours ago that I’d have it I would’ve taken it. But now I’m a little disappointed. And that by itself, that I’m disappointed that we only took one point away from New England on the road, is a good sign.

The Primer is back after a bit of an absence. We’re dropping in just in time for the third DC United match in nine days, a difficult stretch to be sure. Tonight the team travels to face New England, a team that has won three in a row and is 6-1-1 with a +9 goal differential in all matches not against the Chicago Fire.

I said on Monday that DC United need four points from the next three matches else we should be looking for a new coach very soon. I think a 1-1-1 record over the next three (@NE, Hou, @Chi) would be a big step in the right direction for this team, but the question is as to from where three of those four points will come. Do I expect DC to beat New England on the road? Not the way this team has played this year. To be frank, I’m hoping this is the draw.

The Revs are a tough nut to crack for the most part. Excepting the 4-0 and 3-0 scorelines in the two matches against Chicago, New England has not allowed more than one goal in a contest to anyone. In fact, they’ve only allowed four goals in their other 8 non-Chicago matches. That isn’t to say that Chicago’s the only team that can beat them, but it’s hard to weigh what a 4-0 or 3-0 loss tells me about a team, especially when they played with 10 men for 83 minutes of one of those losses. An early New England goal might just spell doom for United, and I’ll be chewing my fingernails from goal to whistle if United scores first.

I’d be more than happy to split the points tonight. I don’t care who starts at forward or on the flanks, or how many defenders we utilize. Just find a way. It won’t be easy, but find a way.

There isn’t much to speak of this week for the Local Soccer Roundup.

Freedom 3 - 0 Fredericksburg
A Jennifer Parsons hat trick was more than enough to propel the Freedom to a 3-0 away victory over the Fredericksburg Lady Gunners. Scoring machine Ali Andrzejewski left the match on 33′ for reasons that are unknown to me at this time, but the Freedom didn’t miss a beat, as 2 of the 3 Parsons goals came after Andrzejewski’s departure.

Royals 0 - 2 Reading
The Reading Rage scored one goal in each half to beat the Northern Virginia Royals 2-0 on Saturday night at Fairfax High School. The Royals (1-0-3) have dropped three straight since opening their season with a victory. They get a second shot at the Rage this Saturday on the road.

Monarchs 2 - 1 Wilmington
Real Maryland earned their second consecutive win and third on the season Saturday night at the Maryland Soccerplex, beating the Wilmington Hammerheads 2-1. An 88th minute penalty converted by Nilson Perez proved the difference, after a Dennis Alas goal on 42′ leveled the match at 1-1.

It was palpable. To the left and right I could hear it and feel it. Anyone who cared about DC United in any form reacted the same way when Danny Dichio scored his second goal of the match to quickly counter Gonzalo Peralta’s first MLS goal and give Toronto FC back the lead at 2-1. Heads were in hands. Eyes were covered. “Oh no. Not again” was the sentiment. But something funny happened on the way to Tom Soehn’s firing. DC United showed guts. They showed balls. They fought back.

I don’t know what happened in the locker room at halftime. I don’t know what Tom Soehn said, what the players said, or whether chairs were thrown and tables were turned over. I don’t care, to be honest. All that matters is that DC United fell behind twice and came back each time to tie the contest before scoring a third goal to take the lead and hold on for all three points. It was a glimmer of hope among the many dark nights thus far this season, but it was just that… a glimmer.

I don’t want to be the proverbial turd in the punch bowl, but a reality check is necessary for anyone who might think that this fixes all our ills. First of all, we needed to come from behind to beat a team that we beat 4-1 the first time around at home. Zach Wells stopped exactly one of the three shots on goal he faced all night. And then there’s the little fact that all three of our wins this season have come at home against Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake, who have as many MLS playoff appearances between them as my coed rec team does.

There’s a long way to go for this team in a few ways: up the league table, and until the end of the season to name two. But if this team doesn’t build upon this win and get at least four points from their next three matches (@NE, Hou, @Chi), it will be a short time until we’re looking for a new coach.