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AU-D.C. United Men’s Soccer Friendly Postponed
Match suspended after injury to Freddy Llerena

March 25, 2003

WASHINGTON -- The exhibition match between the American University men’s soccer team and Major League Soccer’s D.C. United was suspended today 10 minutes into the game due to an injury sustained by AU freshman Freddy Llerena (Germantown, Md./Northwest). Llerena was injured on a foul by the United’s Hristo Stoitchkov with 35:25 remaining in the first half with the score tied at one.

Just 25 seconds after the Eagles had tied the match, Llerena and Stoitchkov both went for the ball. Llerena arrived first and Stoitchkov went in with a two-footed tackle that landed on Llerena’s right leg that was planted on the turf. Llerena sustained a compound fracture of the tibia and a possible fibula fracture as well. Soon after the injury, the decision was made to suspend the game until next week.

"Everyone on both sides was devastated,” AU head coach Todd West said. “It would have been difficult for either squad to go on with both teams being emotionally gutted.”

West was preparing his team to return to action when D.C. United head coach Ray Hudson offered a postponement. An agreement was quickly made as the decision was made in the best interest of both teams.

The United had taken a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute off a header into the left corner of the goal by Ryan Nelsen after a corner kick by Marco Etcheverry. The Eagles struck back as Andrew Herman (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) took the ball in in a two-on-one situation. Herman found Peter Philipakos (Glen Cove, N.Y./Glen Cove) on the left side who beat D.C. United goalkeeper Nick Rimando in the lower left corner of the goal.

American University, which fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men, is in its second year of membership in the Patriot League. Since joining the Patriot League, the University has captured league championships in men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball, and regular-season titles in men’s basketball and women’s lacrosse.

Chartered by an Act of Congress in 1893, American University features students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 160 nations worldwide.