On Thursday morning, inside a tent in a largely empty parking lot in Southwest D.C., city officials were joined by D.C. United to announce that they’d reached an agreement to build a soccer-specific stadium on Buzzard Point. Though many details still need to be worked out in order for the stadium to actually be built, the news was certainly unexpected, having followed what had been perceived by many to be a cooling in negotiations.
On Saturday night at RFK Stadium, the news was far less groundbreaking. Another second-half collapse, another poorly attended match, and another United loss.
After a promising start, United fell 2-1 to the New England Revolution. The victory pulls the Revs even with the Houston Dynamo for the final playoff spot in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference, while dropping D.C. United even deeper into the dregs of the record books.
“I thought our energy was good in the first half and we started extremely bright,” D.C. head coach Ben Olsen said after the match. “[In the] second half it got a little open and they made a couple plays. Overall though I thought it was a step in the right direction coming from last week, but it’s still a loss and it still hurts.”
United midfielder Dwayne De Rosario had a far less flattering evaluation of the match, lamenting the loss while taking a jab at some of the club’s younger players. “It’s another loss,” said the one-time league MVP, making his first appearance since late June. “That’s the reality. That’s the sickening part of it. I see the old guys digging down deep, fighting, scrapping. I want to see some of that fight from the young guys.”
Despite playing without injured starters Chris Pontius and Perry Kitchen, United waited only seven minutes to get on the board. Luis Silva used a moment of individual brilliance to give the United their earliest goal of 2013.
New England defender Stephen McCarthy started things off with a careless giveaway, which United midfielder Nick DeLeon played deftly to John Thorrington, who was well positioned near the center circle. Without hesitation, Thorrington turned and sprinted upfield, eventually playing a through ball to Silva, who controlled the service and struck a low, venomous shot just under the outstretched arms of Revs keeper Bobby Shuttleworth.
United had other chances, too, including a lovely exchange between Silva, DeLeon, and Kyle Porter in the 18th minute. Silva played a cheeky backheel to a streaking Nick Deleon, who dribbled to the end line and played a dangerous cross to Porter. The Canadian midfielder, however, couldn’t get a shot off quickly enough, and his effort was deflected out of bounds.
The Revolution, on the other hand, threatened sparingly. Saer Sene found himself with a golden opportunity at the 20 minute mark, but his strike from seven yards out was directly at United keeper Joe Willis. Later in the half, Kelyn Rowe streaked down the flank and played a cross to forward Dmitry Imbongo, whose far-post attempt was parried away by Willis.
The field tilted in New England’s favor during the second half, however, with the Revolution playing the sort of soccer that’s made them one of MLS’s most entertaining teams to watch this year.
The Revs tied the game just nine minutes into the second half, as defender Chris Tierney played a cross to Imbongo at the six. It was an easy tap-in for the Revolution forward thanks to the easily beaten Taylor Kemp and an out-of-sorts Joe Willis.
New England struck again 10 minutes later. Imbongo played a pass across the top of the 18 to Saer Sene, who took a touch on the right side of the box and struck a bending ball towards the far post from 15 yards out. His attempt dropped directly at the feet of Revolution midfielder Diego Fagundez, who tapped it in for the winning goal.
The game could have ended 3-1, after United brought Willis up to the penalty area for a stoppage time corner kick. Sene found himself in alone on goal after the attempt caromed out of the area, but referee David Gantar mercifully blew the whistle as the Revolution midfielder prepared to shoot towards the empty net.
At 2-15-4, United continue to strengthen their grip on the title of “worst team in MLS history.” With a front office that has declined to make big moves, opting instead to sign young, largely unproven talent, next year may not be much better. Forced to continue playing—for at least a few years longer—at a venue which makes it impossible to turn a profit, United’s current owners have chosen to stop the financial bleeding at the expense of putting a quality product on the field.
Still, last week’s stadium news, when combined with the acquisition of players like Silva, Conor Doyle, and Jared Jeffrey, gives some cause for hope. Ben Olsen, for one, seems to be a believer.
“I’ve got one eye here, presently, on the week to week in MLS, to try and continue to tinker and find out which guys are gonna be around,” Olsen said. “I’ve got another eye on the Open Cup, which is a big deal, and finding out what the best team we have to put out there is. I still believe in the future of this club and the bulk of these guys I have in this locker room.”
Game Notes: The Revolution were given an added moral boost by the insertion of Silver Spring native Kevin Alston in the 85th minute. Alston, who hasn’t seen the pitch since March, got his first touches since being diagnosed with leukemia. “I was overly excited to be on there,” Alston said. “But at the same time, I was just telling myself, ‘Don’t mess up, don’t mess up.’”
