United Come Out Flat, Tie in 2008 Opener
Each of the past two years, D.C. United has headed into the playoffs as the number one seed, with a shiny new MLS Supporters Shield in hand for holding the league's best regular season record. Each of those seasons, they've had their top player crowned league MVP. But each of those also ended with a disappointing playoff exit.
You'd think a team with that kind of success might want to tweak the lineup a little to strengthen the squad for their playoff push -- but not necessarily overhaul the roster with loads of new, imported talent, or let go of a few fan favorites and a former MVP. But that's just what United did in dropping Christian Gomez, Brian Carroll, and Bobby Boswell to bring in whole host of new, mostly Latin American talent.
Among those, Argentines Gonzalo Peralta, Marcelo Gallardo, and Franco Niell joined Colombian defender Gonzalo Martinez in making their D.C. debuts last night. Gallardo -- the highest profile of the new signings -- was charged with running the offense from central midfield and with picking up where Gomez left off. But where Gomez would find space just behind the two strikers, Gallardo prefers to drop deep to pick up the ball, lay it off, get it back, lay it off, get it back. He'll occasionally wander out to a flank, or fall back parallel with defensive midfielder Clyde Simms -- neither necessarily bad things, but certainly traits that may take some getting used to.
And that was pretty much the story of last night's season opener, a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal matchup at Jamaica's Harbour View FC, which, in truth, was one of the least entertaining games United have played in a while. A poor playing surface translated into poor first touches, lots of aimless long balls, and little steady possession for either side. D.C. did manufacture a couple scoring chances from Gallardo's free kicks, and Niell -- on as a substitute for the injured-yet-again Jaime Moreno after 17 minutes -- was fouled on a breakaway, but did little to suggest a goal was coming. In first half injury time, Gallardo's blast inadvertently hit D.C. midfielder Devon McTavish, who collected himself and put away the scraps for his first ever goal for the Black and Red.
The second half came and went much like the first, with new goalkeeper Zach Wells not often tested and looking steady if not entirely convincing when called upon. Yet still at only 1-0, Harbour View eventually began to push forward, and they nearly got the equalizer when Robert Scarlet's low cross was turned just wide from 8 yards by Fabian Taylor. United failed to heed the warning, and their lackluster (to put it mildly) performance got what it deserved with five minutes remaining. HVFC's Jermaine Hue lofted a corner kick into the box, and when D.C. couldn't clear, Lovell Palmer flicked it into the net to make it 1-1.
The quarterfinal "home-and-home" series heads back to RFK Stadium this coming Tuesday for D.C. United's home opener. Any kind of win would do the trick for United, as would a scoreless draw with the "away goals rule" in effect. But regardless of the outcome, D.C. will want to show significant improvement -- the MLS season opener at Kansas City is now less than three weeks away.