Home Sweet Home: United Tame Rapids, 3-1
You know that show about the fishermen who leave home for months at a time to come back with big catches, significantly more grizzled faces, and, at times, missing certain people that they left with? Right -- we all know that one. One of the best parts about that program: even though some of the things they go through on the high seas would make the most hardened of individuals tremble, when they get back on land, all the fishermen down a few beers, talk about what a wild, strange trip its been, and hop right back on the ship that could be their collective coffin.
The exercise in perseverance is the true appeal.
I was going somewhere with that, and here it is: D.C. United is the Deadliest Catch of MLS. The last time we saw them, they were here, laying claim to first place with a win against Chicago over a month ago. Then they pushed off from shore -- and though they hit their share of rocky waves (a thrashing in Colorado and a couple of ties that certainly could have been wins) and even lost of couple of players (well, alright, Santino Quaranta is hardly lost at sea, but still) -- they came back into the Robert F. Kennedy port of call ready to share a goal or two with their good friends.
All that was missing last night was Mike Rowe narration. United romped 3-1 over Colorado with 18,248 of their buddies there to greet them in a long-awaited homecoming. It was a boost that the team needed as they push off for yet another journey -- their next league match at home isn't until August 22 when that Beckham guy comes to town.
In keeping with the analogy: if the recent road trip was life on the high seas, last night's first half was a nasty thunderstorm which smacked the vessel on the approach to shore. The obvious bump before they docked? Bryan Namoff hoofing a chip right into the back of his own net in the 14th.
United just seemed jittery in the first half. Balls that United would normally bring down in possession pinballed between the two teams. The Black-and-Red made several poor touches and far-too-heavy passes when possession did present itself. Even before the own goal, Boyzzz Khumalo had Rapids keeper Matt Pickens easily beat, but couldn't keep his half-chip under the bar. In addition to his big miss, Khumalo couldn't stay onside in the 27th minute on a situation that otherwise had a fantastic shot at producing a goal. Normally reliable players like Marc Burch looked tentative. Even a picture perfect ball from Fred to a completely unmarked Emilio in the 36th was delivered right into the paws of Pickens.
This, combined with some fantastic tackles by Rapids defender Kosuke Kimura and others, kept the score at 1-0 going into the interval. But then United dropped anchor, found their land legs, and the clouds which had rocked the boat in the first forty-five broke up immediately.
"You could see that we were probably a little rusty," said coach Tom Soehn. "We made it pretty hard on ourselves, especially when we had that chance early and didn't put it away."
Right after the restart, Referee Ricardo Salazar didn't hesitate to award a penalty kick when midfielder Pablo Mastroeni tripped up Christian Gomez in the box. And just like that, United were back in the game as Jaime Moreno -- who really provided a spark after missing the last five games with hamstring issues -- ripped a perfect spot kick to earn his 41st career penalty kick goal. With the score level, United looked more assured. Now it was time to enjoy some of that nice home cookin' -- and boy, did Namoff eat it up.
In one of the prettier goals that United has created this season, a corner off the boot of Gomez was placed immaculately at the near corner of the Rapid six-yard box. Namoff, juking his man, got free and dove -- his header, true and beautiful, laced the ball between the right post and the Colorado defender manning it.
"I needed to try and do something to try and turn things around," Namoff said of the goal, his first this season. "I didn't see it go in. I just heard the roar of the crowd."
United's third tally in the 61st was another thing of beauty, but this time, it wasn't finesse that make it so -- it was hard work from an unlikely source of such physical play. Gomez, all five-foot-six of him, out-muscled defender Julien Baudet at the end line, and the ball squeaked free to Fred right in front of Pickens -- holding it there for just the right moment, he found Emilio, who had the entire net to take aim at.
"I must be getting stronger each and every day," Gomez joked.
At that point, Colorado's shell-shocked eleven wheeled back on the shock of the tommy-gun offense that United had produced. The Rapids seemed to realize that trying to rain on the returning home parade was a futile effort; forward Conor Casey's histrionics, ones which eventually led him to be cautioned, were almost like sour grapes from the guy who couldn't cut it at sea -- better luck next time, pal; this night belonged to United.
After the match, Soehn left things in perspective: "The important things are is that you finish off games, and get your points where you need them." But Gomez was a little bit more fired up, a man who recognized the importance of performing well after a long stretch away.
"It was time for us to come home and defend our turf."