DC United’s poor home form continued as New England snapped a nine match winless streak and shocked DC 1-0 in front of Sunil Gulati and 15,000 plus at RFK. Matt Reis made six saves and kept New England in the match long enough for a late go-ahead goal from Stephen McCarthy.
The first half saw a different DC United team than the one that lost to New England 2-1 in March. The Black-and-Red dominated in the midfield and created a fluid passing game that stretched the field and created some quality scoring chances in the first half. The problem for DC was that the forwards could do nothing with the passes; Charlies Davies struggled to create quality chances as New England doubled him every time he touched the ball. A turning point in the game came in the 43′ when Davies missed a penalty kick. The penalty was called due to a cross that Pat Phelan elbowed in the box; Davies immediately stepped up to take the kick and skied it over the net. The blown chance epitomized the half for DC; they had numerous chances but either a failed connection on a pass or Matt Reis’ gloves prevented a go-ahead goal.
The weather (90+ degrees and humid) and DC’s draw with Dallas on Saturday left the team looking slower and less aggressive in the second half. And again it was the usual problems for DC that came back to haunt them. New England started the match in a 4-3-3 but switched to a more attacking 3-5-2 in the second half. The 57′ substitution of Sammi Nyassi for Kevin Boggs also gave the Revs some pace they missed in the first, allowing more chances down the wing. One of those chances resulted in Perry Kitchen coolly knocking the ball out for a corner, a corner which Chris Tierney expertly placed where an unmarked McCarthy headed it into the corner of the net. The score was not unexpected, however, as New England two minutes prior had a golden opportunity on a corner that they had misheaded.
“It’s obviously a tough [loss] to take because of the opportunities we had early to put a game away,” said DC head coach Ben Olsen after the game. “If you don’t do that, we’ve all seen the script, right?”
The win was the first for the Revolution since May 14 when they beat Vancouver 1-0 at home. What was particularly encouraging for the Revs was they won the game without Benny Feilhaber (red card suspension) and they bounced back from their weekend thrashing by Philadelphia. The 3-5-2 formation did put some pressure on the wings and helped the visitors create some good opportunities late as well as pressure rookie fullback Perry Kitchen. While Shalrie Joseph struggled as a attacking/central midfielder (understandably), Rajko Lekic played well up top for New England and created some chances.
All of this would have been a moot point if not for Matt Reis, who had an incredible game and made some critical saves, especially in the first half when DC was pressuring. Late in the game he put an exclamation point on his match with a deflection off his leg of a point-blank De Rosario attempt. Head coach Steve Nicol praised him after the match: “He made a couple of saves at real important times. He gave us the strength to go on and win the game.”
DC falls to 2-3-5 at home, the kind of record that halts any talk of playoff contention. The two newest acquisitions (De Rosario and Brandon McDonald) were the best players on the pitch, with DeRo creating numerous opportunities (as well has having great scoring chances) and McDonald not only organizing the defense but solidly stopping a few quality New England chances. Another star for DC was young keeper Bill Hamid, who made a couple of great stops and was aggressive and confident in goal. But again, it was set pieces and defensive lapses that hurt this team in the end, as well as an inability to convert early chances. Whether it be tired legs or growing pains, DC let a great opportunity to climb the standings slip by yesterday.
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Charles
July 22, 2011 at 7:02 am
I tried, I didn’t count on you guys talking soccer.
Preston K
July 22, 2011 at 11:58 am
@charles
Holy crap dude enough! We don’t need you to prop up a discussion. You’re not our babysitter. Out of all the people here you were the one that least commented on soccer. People will talk soccer with or without you. Your obsession with manufacturing conversation is ridiculous. BTW I love that you didn’t respond to my comment on dcu, probably cuz you’re too stupid to respond. You talk the talk but you don’t walk the walk you’re the reason why people divert from talking soccer to try and tell you to shut up. And you’re the reason why people make fun of mls and think mls fans have a inferiority complex. You’re a troll. Go away we REAL soccer fans are fine without you whining.
There I edited out all the cuss words (a total of three) so hopefully the moderators will let this one slide.
DLH
July 21, 2011 at 9:53 pm
DCU has been mediocre at best in each home game I’ve attended- incredibly frustrating to watch. However they still have a shot at the playoffs because nobody is very good. “Parity” is another name for league-wide mediocrity.
Alex
July 21, 2011 at 10:27 pm
very true. the real season starts when the playoffs start. i say playoffs is enough parity. if the league allowed for free agency im sure youd see clubs establish themselves more instead this ebb and flow of good game bad game good game bad game. i mean look at Rapids. they lost to seattle 4-3 then turn around and whoop NJRB by 4-1. theres no consistency in MLS. 8 clubs, single table qualification is the way to go.
Now if MLS wants to retain all its club restrictions, low salary cap and other crap then Single table is better. The amount of parity that exist in MLS now (ridiculously high) is perfect for a single table league. now thats a league i would pay attention to cuz every game matters. points matter. i mean look at SKC a disaster start and look at them now. they are in playoff range!!!! it just promotes mediocrity. two ways. either take off training wheels and keep playoffs or keep training wheels but switch to single table.
Im rooting for DCU, mainly cuz i want to see a new dynasty start, plus it will definatley put a thorn in NJRB’s side, one with the on coming nagging of Cosmos fans (me including) and constant fire from fans themselves. lots of people seem enraged at Backe for throwing away the USOC and many even say he threw away the Rapids game in favor for the Emarites Cup. i can understand them. one with MLS/NJRB in cahoots to just see more $$$ over actual performance. i mean i read on MLS soccer .com that Chicago Fire are hoping…..FOR A TIE?!?!?! against whatever EPL club they are facing. My God if that isnt proof of MLS stive for mediocrity idk what is
*interesting tid bit, NY Cosmos will be the first American Club to play at old trafford. although it isnt a official cosmos roster (it features some of its PDL players, plus canavaro, mcbride yes i said mcbride, fridel, patrik viera and other stars) still it will be the first time we’ll see the Cosmos kit in action and more importantly probably the first American club to go on a international tour (the OG cosmos did that too playing in England, india and i think even china) Now that is what MLS franchise clubs need to do, more international tours instead of inviting EPL clubs to slaughter them at home. oh and being the minority supported club in their own home
Sancho
July 22, 2011 at 2:56 am
Not long ago, 8 teams of a total of 10 classified to the playoffs. So, it is better somehow. It will be better when division come into play.
Charles
July 21, 2011 at 10:48 am
Preston K ? You have an opinion on DC making the playoffs ?
Second call for Preston K ?
Preston K
July 21, 2011 at 5:27 pm
seriously man are you trying to impress me? cuz if you are your sentence isnt cutting anyting. i dont care about what you write so long as its not a friggin rant about how everyone else is inferior to you. you dont need my approval. and since you’re beggin me on my input fine ill give it a go. plus i love how you are throwing these cheap shots instead of actually replying to my comment in the other article. classy
anyways i think mls parity has shown (see SKC) that DC United can make it to the playoffs. do they deserve it? no. Charlie Davis missing that penalty kick i think is karma for all the dives he’s been making this season. and honestly in the wake of Mr.Krafts wife passing away, im glad Revolution was able to pull three points for the “club”. i still dont think it serves the Fort justice for Krafts horrible management. mls parity is both a bitch and ammusing. seeing Rapids beat NJRB by 3 goal difference yet losing 4-3 last week serves to re enforce that there still is a chance for DC United to come through and qualify to the playoffs. after all Garber practially sent a invite to every team. 10 team playoffs? seriously? are you trying to kill mls? anyways i wont be suprised if DC United wins the cup. not that they deserve it, they way they are playing lately, even in their win against NJRB, but for the past 3 years it seems to be the trend that the team that doesnt derseve to win the cup or make it to the finals, wins the cup or makes it to the finals (see NJRB 09, RSL 10, and Rapids 11)
happy?
Preston K
July 21, 2011 at 5:32 pm
“i still dont think it serves the Fort justice for Krafts horrible management.”
i meant the win, not Mr. Krafts wife passing away. no one should wish that to anyone
Charles
July 21, 2011 at 10:21 am
I wonder what people think about DC making the playoffs, obviously you need to win games like this, but can they make it.