United hopes RFK is where the wins are

After two big losses in just more than a week, D.C. United needs a convincing win to restore a little confidence.

Tonight’s home opener against Toronto FC will be United’s third game in eight days because of its 2-0 loss in the semifinal Champions’ Cup match on March 25 at Mexico’s Pachuca. The new-look United also lost its season-opener at the Kansas City Wizards 2-0 last week.

“It was frustrating losing at Kansas City and even more frustrating down there [Mexico],” defender Marc Burch said. “We are due a win, and we do well at home. Toronto has got a lot coming when they come here.”

There may even be a collective sigh of relief that tonight’s game is against Toronto and not a nemesis like the Chicago Fire. United beat Toronto all three times last year, twice on the road and a 4-1 win at RFK Stadium in September.

“More than anything, we are just happy to be at home,” Burch said.

Toronto suffered a tumultuous inaugural year in 2007, when it won just six games and won only one on the road.

“We need to win really bad,” United forward Santino Quaranta said.

Toronto is coming off a 2-0 loss at the Columbus Crew.

“They are going through some growing pains as far having a new coach and new players and still haven’t figured out how they want to play,” United coach Tom Soehn said.

This week, Toronto signed former French national team player Laurent Robert, 32, who arrives with a quite a resume after stints at Paris Saint-Germain, Portsmouth, Newcastle and recently Derby County. Robert, who is known for his powerful left foot, is available for tonight’s game.

While a win over Toronto is important, more vital is United’s return game against Pachuca at RFK on Wednesday, when the club will have to overturn a two-goal deficit in the two-game series to advance to the Champions’ Cup final.

“This MLS game will be a good trial run for when we meet Pachuca,” midfielder Devon McTavish said. “Against Toronto we are going to fix things we didn’t do against Pachuca.”

United is still trying to incorporate its new players and their different styles.

“How long can we use that as an excuse because we’ve been together for close to three months?” Burch said.

The team is also trying to figure out how to play with new leading man Marcelo Gallardo, who will earn $1.87 million this season.

Gomez update — Former D.C. United midfielder Christian Gomez led the Colorado Rapids to a 4-0 win over the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy last week.

U.S. women — The U.S. women’s national team will play Mexico today in Group A Olympic qualifying in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The winners of the semifinals will earn a berth to the Beijing Olympics.

Goalie Hope Solo has replaced veteran Briana Scurry on the roster.

FA Cup — It’s quite remarkable, but Portsmouth is the only top-flight team left in the FA Cup semifinals this weekend at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Championship league club West Bromwich Albion plays Portsmouth today in the world’s oldest soccer event, while tomorrow Championship clubs Barnsley and Welsh club Cardiff fight it out.