Down 2-1 with Jaime Moreno, the MLS all time scoring leader, coming to the line to take a penalty kick in the 78th minute of their SuperLiga match versus CD Guadalajara, D.C. United had to feel good about their chances of eking out a draw or maybe even a win. Moreno had buried his last 20 PK attempts, a streak lasting over four years, and is about as close to automatic as you can get from 12 yards out. Unfortunately, the odds caught up with Moreno, as Ernesto Michel made the save and preserved the 2-1 win for CD Guadalajara. “With all the penalties he has taken in his career, sooner or later he’s going to miss one,” United coach Tom Soehn said after the game. “I like his percentages though.”

United had plenty of chances throughout the match, however. Luciano Emilio hit the post early in the game, as did Devon McTavish in the second half. They were also hamstrung (no pun intended) in the midfield without the injured Marcello Gallardo, Santino Quaranta and of course, Ben Olsen. Rod Dyachenko (this year’s Brian Carroll?) didn’t do much in the playmaker role in the first half, so Soehn mercifully sat him in the second while bringing on Francis Doe up front.