United's Soehn falls ill, misses match

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By John Haydon

D.C. United coach Tom Soehn was slated to miss the club's crucial game against the Los Angeles Galaxy at RFK Stadium on Saturday because of flu-like symptoms. Soehn was tested for the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu.

"He's struggling a bit and obviously he wants to be here," assistant coach Chad Ashton said. "They are running tests on him, but we haven't quite got the results. It was in the team's best interest for him not to be here. If you know Tommy, he's got to pretty much be on his death bed to not be here. I told him not to come but it's killing him not to be here. But we are in constant contact with him."

Soehn came to training Friday and had flulike symptoms and went home without overseeing the practice session. He saw medical personnel and took a blood test to determine what strain of flu he had. Those results will not be known until Monday.

Last week Soehn travelled with the club Toronto for a weekend game and then flew to Honduras for a match Tuesday night.

"We are taking the situation very seriously," United spokesman Doug Hicks said. "We are taking every precaution to make sure Tommy is cared for and that we monitor the situation of others who had direct contact with him."

All the technical staff that works close to Soehn has been put on Tamiflu medication as a precaution.

"We all know what's at stake in this game," Ashton said. "I wish Tommy was here with us but we are prepared."

Galaxy star Landon Donovan recently contracted swine flu two weeks ago while training in Miami with the U.S. national team.