Revolution Catches Up to DC

Mike Martin

May 30, 2008

DC United's Luciano Emilio gets the ball past New England's Matt Reis

DC United's Luciano Emilio gets the ball past New England's Matt Reis
Photo: Tony Biscaia

DC United got an early goal from Emilio and another from Fred early in the second half, but let the two goal lead slip away and barely managed to hang on to a valuable point as they tie the Revolution 2-2 for the first good road result of the season.

Washington D.C.,

DC United had a glorious three points on the road in their grasp only to let it slip away as the Revolution negated United’s best performance of the year away from RFK with some opportunistic goals and some incredible goalkeeping by New England’s Matt Reis.

How truly cruel the game of soccer can be at times. DC United played its best half of soccer this season, and had to settle for merely a one goal lead at halftime. But, the exceptionally cruel twist to the tale was giving up two unfortunate goals in the second half to drop two very much needed points.

DC United came out as fired up and as organized as they have been at any stretch this season and ten times better than any road match they have played all year, but Matt Reis chose this moment to produce a fantastic effort or this game would have been over at halftime.

United's right back Bryan Namoff summed up Reis and NE's performance after the game. "You have to give credit to (Matt) Reis. He kept them in the game. Had we finished those early on, they probably would have been defeated. But they were able to stay in it, and I thought they used our game plan in the second half against us. They started to dump balls in and we had a tough time clearing, which caused them to win the balls in good areas, which made it difficult for us. A couple of fluke plays and they were able to get some scoring chances.

United opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a brilliant free kick by Gallardo that Shalrie Joseph was unable to clear well, which allowed Clyde Simms to pounce and volley the ball right at Reis. The NE netminder was able to parry the shot away, but for the second time in two games, DC’s Luciano Emilio tucked in the rebound to give United the early lead.

United continued to control the game and pressure NE’s defense repeatedly, but Reis was an absolutely impenetrable wall for the rest of the first half. The NE keeper stoned Moreno, Fred, and Emilio all in the last twenty minutes of the half to keep United from stretching out their lead. As hard as United pressed them, for NE to go into halftime at 1-0 had to feel like a victory to them.

Coach Tommy Soehn put it this way after the game. "I thought we out-played them (in the first half). We created so many quality opportunities. But like I said, you have to finish even more of those. We could have been up two, three at the half – you have to put those chances away. The good part is that we’re creating those quality chances right now and every game I’m seeing it get better and better."

Still, the second half began with more United pressure, but again Reis was equal to the challenge. Simms flipped a ball to Fred over the top, but Reis came well out of his area to snuff out the chance. However, even Reis on one of his best days ever could not keep United at bay as they continued to press for the second goal.

In the 53rd minute, Santino slipped Emilio into the box, and he artfully dodged two NE defenders to flip a shot past Reis that Parkhurst barely managed to clear before it went in the net. However, his clearance only got to Moreno just outside the box where he too slipped two defenders to rip a shot that Reis again manages to block. But Fred collects the rebound and rips a low shot under Reis to give United the seemingly insurmountable two goal lead on the road.

Unfortunately, similar but not nearly as bad as the Chivas collapse, United acted like the job was done and gave up their concentration for some crucial moments yet again which allowed NE to get themselves back into a game that should have been over. This time they at least hung onto the point, but given the circumstances, it had to feel like a loss.

In the 59th minute, NE’s Honduran attacker, Mauricio Castro under almost no pressure whatsoever flipped a lovely cross into the box that Fred seemed to have a bead on to clear, but he was disrupted by an opportunistic play by Kheli Dube, who collected the loose ball and while his shot was blocked, it fell right to Adam Cristman who finished easily to halve the lead.

United continued to show a lively offensive presence and nearly ended NE’s comeback with a brilliant give and go by Emilio and Gallardo in the 66th minute, but Emilio’s point blank shot was again saved by Reis as he hurled himself at Emilio and managed to put a lucky toe to the shot by last year’s league MVP.

That was to spell doom for DC as Mediate, who played exceptionally well for Gonzalo Peralta who was home with his expectant wife, was whistled for a dubious foul just outside the area. Ralston stroked a nice ball right to Larentowicz who was left criminally unmarked, and he nodded the ball down to Dube who scored easily into the open net for the tie.

With the 2-2 tie, Unite gets their first road goals and point of the season, but this has to feel like a loss given the two goal lead the had worked so diligently for. However, I think if anyone had said before the game to Soehn whether he’d take a tie or play the game and take his chances, he’d have taken the tie.

So, United gets a valuable road point and has the meager satisfaction of having a very good road effort finally result in something positive, but the team cannot be content with such results if they expect to claw their way back into contention in the East. 

A somewhat dejected Fred said after the game "With that lead of 2-0, we just have to know how to finish the game better. We’re in a situation where we need points and to come away with a 2-2 tie after being up two goals is very disappointing. So now we have to go back to work and keep at it."

United returns to RFK in six days for a Wednesday night matchup against reigning MLS Cup winners, Houston Dynamo, then travel to Chicago for a matchup with the Eastern Conference leading Fire three days later.

Visitor Comments

On May 30, 2008 - 06:34:27 PM Mike M said:
I'm happy to see progress too, but more than that, you can see elements of this team coming together really well. Hope they go even further. We tied NE early last year and that signaled the turnaround for the season, maybe this tie coming on top of big win at home is the sign of greater things to come.
On May 30, 2008 - 07:48:40 AM martin said:
nice write-up Mike.I like Santino's artful entry into the box. Gallardo is starting to earn his way into my good side now - you can now "really" see the potential with Luciano. Dissappointed they gave away two points, but happy to see progress...
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