LANDOVER, Md. - Why isn't tonight's US-Germany quarterfinal in RFK Stadium, home to D.C. United and traditional site of every big soccer match in the area? Because RFK wanted either the opener or the final, which it might have gotten had FIFA stuck with its original downsized East Coast plan. When the tournament went nationwide, RFK was offered only first-round matches and a quarterfinal and spurned them because management felt they wouldn't draw.
So though Jack Kent Cooke Stadium had never hosted a soccer match, it grabbed two first-round doubleheaders and tonight's matches, for which the advance sale was more than 40,000.
The only question US coach Tony DiCicco had about tonight's lineup was whether he'd put supersub Shannon MacMillan up front instead of Cindy Parlow or at flank midfield in addition to her. While DiCicco likes the chemistry of the Parlow- Tiffeny Milbrett - Mia Hamm combo, he'd love to find a place for MacMillan, who scored one goal and set up the other two against the Koreans. ''I'm considering starting Shannon,'' DiCicco said. ''I like her coming into the game. But I also like Parlow with her heading presence against Germany's big central defenders.''
Whalen back to bench
After starting at defender and playing the entire match against the North Koreans, Natick-born Sara Whalen will be back to her reserve role against the Germans now that Kate Sobrero, who had been bothered by an ankle injury, is fit again. ''Back to my home on the bench,'' said Whalen, who came on at halftime against Nigeria. ''And back to my original mentality - I'm there if you need me. But every minute I get is like a bonus, because I didn't expect to get anything.''
So far, 17 of the 20 players have seen action - everybody except forward Danielle Fotopoulos and keepers Saskia Webber and North Andover's Tracy Ducar.
Taking it in
The Germans, delighted at being able to stay in the same town for four days between matches, gave their players the day off yesterday. ''We do it often before a game during a tournament,'' said coach Christina Theune-Meyer. Most of the squad slept in, then went to Georgetown last night for dinner and a walk around the neighborhood.
