A string of Superliga losses followed by one of D.C. United's worst showings of the year against Houston left the second half of the season somewhat in doubt. Which D.C. United would show up for MLS' crucial home stretch? The confused squad that started the season 2-7 and lacked any form of cohesion, or the offensive dynamos that ran roughshod over their MLS opponent en route to a 5-0-1 record preceding the All Star break?

United's effort on Saturday against the Kansas City Wizards offered an encouraging portent for the remainder of the season. Using a lineup speckled with reserves and newcomers, they put forth their best defensive game of the year and supplied their usual confident effort on offense. Goalkeeper Zach Wells and his cohorts notched their first shutout, winning by a final score of 2-0.

Goalie Zach Wells earned his first shutout with D.C. United with Saturday's 2-0 win. (Kyle Gustafson / www.photokyle.com)

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United's lineup featured three players unaccustomed to minutes with the regulars. Joe Vide (pronounced like the second syllable in "divide"), picked up from waivers from San Jose, manned the central midfield. Rather than filling the playmaker's role, Vide supplemented Clyde Simms ball-winning ways, supplied high pressure, and effectively distributed to the wings. Pat Carroll overcame a couple of shaky moments early to settle into a steady central defensive position in just his second MLS game. Ivan Guerrero, acquired on Thursday, found success in his first game with United (as an added bonus, they won't have to worry about running into him in the playoffs anymore). He showcased his tireless workrate all night as a two-way left winger. His effort proved instrumental manufacturing United's first goal.

In the 28th minute, Guerrero ran down a long ball played in from the back, fought off his defender and headed the ball back to a trailing Jaime Moreno. The United captain's slick footwork evaded the Wizards' tackles, and he was able to deliver a path to the tightly marked Luciano Emilio. Operating in the middle of the box, the Brazilian shook U.S. International Jimmy Conrad with a cutback move, spun and sliced a shot past Kevin Hartman for the goal.

United's midfield crew of Fred, Simms, Vide, and Guerrero effectively pestered Kansas City all night, disrupting their attack with tenacious tackles and forcing countless turnovers when Wizard passes to the wings slid out of bounds. This, in turn, lessened the load for United's back line. Unable to develop effective play along the wings, the K.C. offense began to resemble United offenses of old; even though United packed the box, the Wizards would continually try to force the ball through the middle to unlock the defense. With so much help in the middle, United's defenders did not have to gamble, and they contained the Wizards' offensive corps throughout the night.

With United's offense providing consistent pressure into the second half, K.C. turned to physical play against Moreno, the chief architect of United's attack. After a particularly nasty stretch of fouls, Moreno got his revenge. A 59th minute foul left Moreno visibly agitated. The 34-year-old dusted himself off and reflected a steely determination. Positioning himself toward the near post on the ensuing free kick, he met Marc Burch's ball and applied a deft touch with the flick of his head, redirecting it into the far corner of the net.

From this point, United relied on intelligent possession from their offense and organized positioning from their defense to shut down the Wizards. The visitors were able to get off plenty of shots, but most were from safe distance, and Wells was up to the task. The United keeper complimented his workman-like effort with good positioning, excellent decision making on crossing balls, and a pair of spectacular saves on each side of halftime: a reflex block 15 yards away from the net in the 41st and a leaping tip of a Davy Arnaud blast heading for the upper left corner in the 46th.

A justifiably content coach Tom Soehn deemed the game one of the more satisfying to date, and praised his team-wide defense effort as "ten-fold better" than those during previous games. The win separated United from three other teams to place them in the fourth playoff position of the Eastern Conference. Their next test will be Juan Pablo Angel and the New York Red Bulls next Sunday in the Meadowlands.