MLS D.C. United

D.C. United Set To Host Portsmouth FC In International Friendly

Published on June 2, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
D.C. United News Release


Washington, D.C. (June 2, 2010) - D.C. United announced today the club will play an international friendly against English side Portsmouth Football Club on July 24 at RFK Stadium. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two clubs. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

"Portsmouth is one of England's most storied clubs and it's an honor for D.C. United to compete against them," said United President and CEO Kevin Payne. "Pompey fans are famous for their loyalty and passion, and we look forward to welcoming them to RFK Stadium this summer. This match provides further added value to our season ticket members and continues our long tradition of testing ourselves against the world's most renowned clubs."

Tickets for this match are available as part of season ticket membership and half season plan B as Special Game D. Individual game tickets are on sale now at dcunited.com and all TicketMaster outlets for $23 at the Spectator level, $32 at Premium level, $42 at VIP level and $52 at the Mezzanine level. Groups of 15 or more can purchase at discounted prices of $18 for Spectator level, $24 for Premium, $32 for VIP and $42 for Mezzanine level.

Portsmouth are the seventh English side to play an international friendly at RFK Stadium against the Black-and-Red, and like Leeds United, Newcastle United, and Nottingham Forest, the south coast club has a rich history in English Football. Founded in 1888, Portsmouth is affectionately known to its supporters as Pompey - a reference to the maritime tradition of the Royal Navy port town. Though the club was recently relegated from the Barclays Premier League and will begin play in the Coca-Cola Championship next season, Portsmouth reached the 2010 FA Cup final and lost narrowly to Chelsea by a 1-0 scoreline.

In 2008, Pompey hoisted the FA Cup for the second time in its history, defeating Cardiff City 1-0 at Wembley Stadium. Portsmouth also won the prestigious domestic competition in 1939 and the club claimed the English First Division title in 1949 and 1950. Pompey plays its matches at legendary Fratton Park, the team's home since 1898 that is widely regarded as one of the most intimate stadiums in Europe.

Portsmouth is led by England international David James. Fabio Capello has selected the goalkeeper for the England squad in the 2010 World Cup, and the former Liverpool netminder has 49 international caps to his name. Pompey also boasts a pair of Nigerians who will feature in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa - John Utaka and Nwankwo Kanu. Utaka has featured 35 times for his country, while the 33-year-old Kanu has 82 caps to his name. The prolific striker has played for Arsenal, Inter Milan, and Ajax during his distinguished career. South Africa's Aaron Mokoena will also play in this summer's World Cup, as the defensive midfielder has been a force for Pompey over the past year. Mokoena will captain South Africa in the first World Cup to be hosted on the African continent.

Broadcasting and P.A. Request: When speaking of the organization, please refer to the team as either "D.C. United" or "United," but not "the D.C. United" or "the United." We appreciate your cooperation.

Check out the D.C. United Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Major League Soccer Stories from June 2, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central