The Game

A game against a quality opponent with first place on the line.  In years past, DC United may have shrivelled at the challenge. On Saturday night, they stood up to it.  In an entertaining back and forth match, DC United unsurped the then first place Chicago Fire 2-1. 

Jamie Moreno connected on a questionable penalty kick call in the 22nd minute.  There was a Christian Gomez sighting.  It IS Christian Gomez running around in that C. Gomez jersey, not some imitation.  His goal was something that used to be a regular sight at RFK, though it had been missing this year.  Gomez may have put in his best 2009 performance.  Wallace and Pontius, once again, were very active, it’s hard to believe that they don’t have one complete year of MLS experience between them.  Tommy Soehn looked like a tactical genius in putting in Boyzzz Khumalo for Fred late in the second half.  Boyzzz used his speed to repeatedly burn the Chicago defense.  Including making C.J. Brown use his remaining energy in a race from midfield.  This kept Chicago’s defense ‘honest’ through the late, desperate stages of the game. Though United squandered three fantastic scoring opportunities, Gomez’s attempt off the crossbar, Khumalo’s shot off the near post, and Quaranta placing the ball wide of the near post.  All three should have been put away, yet the misses did not haunt them as the defense and Josh Wicks came up big time and time again.

Sometimes when a goalkeeper is making a lot of saves, that’s an indictment of the defense as too many shots are getting through.  That really wasn’t the case Saturday night, as only a few excellent shots go through, including the lone Chicago goal.  Wicks came up big as he saved Brian McBride’s PK attempt, proving that the soccer gods frowned upon the referee’s lousy call.  It’s hard to make many arguments against Wicks, he’s been a solid goalkeeper since ditching his hair.  Maybe he more balanced now.  The team, does however need to work on his distribution in getting the ball out quicker and accurately.  Too many opportunities sail past the touchline when Wicks kicks the ball.  It’s actually a trait that Troy Perkins had in his first couple of years.  Let’s hope Wicks solves these issues, too.

The Referee

That it was an entertaining match was in spite of referee Baldomero Toledo.  Toledo called two questionable penalty kicks, at least he was fair in being horrible, because he called one against each team.  But repeatedly, Toledo refused to help the game, repeatedly calling United players for undercutting Fire players, including one time against Tino Quaranta when he was 5 feet away from the player he allegedly fouled.  Other instances of Toledo’s dementia:  Dejan Jakovic was called for a foul around midfield, Jakovic like many players who’ve been whistled for a foul was visibly upset…..leading Toledo to call Jakovic over to him so that the referee could proceed to throw a fit, Jakovic became the calm one and let Toledo blow off some steam before retreating into the defense.  Another first half event was when Fire keeper John Busch was given a yellow and United awarded the penalty kick to start the night’s scoring, when Busch confronted Toledo, "his explanation was, ‘Shut your mouth, I am always right, you are wrong.’ I just wanted an explanation. If I had smashed the guy and he still has the ball, it’s a penalty kick – absolutely. But when the guy gets the shot off and I’m in the air…"  This was in the 22nd minute.  It wasn’t late in a hard, scrappy game.  Toledo was on his own planet to begin with.  He and other notorious referees must be under a lot of behind the scenes pressure, due to their early error-prone performances, but he came perilously close to destroying one of the best mid-season games that MLS has produced.

The #$^)$%

Sadly, Blanco didn’t make the trip due to being so exhausted from his stint with the Mexican team.   Though he may have gotten wind of the Tifo dispay waiting for him.  Don’t worry Blanco, it’ll keep.  It’ll keep.

What’s Next?

Wednesday 1030 PM in Seattle against the Sounders, televised on ESPN2, find your local viewing party.

Saturday  930 PM in Denver against the Rapids, on CSN….

There’s a US Open Cup game TBD, at the Soccerplex.

United will find it’s way home to RFK on the 18th of July……that’s too long.  But that’s the way it is.