Marcelo Sarvas scores D.C. United’s first goal from the PK spot.

RFK. (Photos by Pablo Iglesias Maurer)

D.C. United wrapped up a four-game homestand on Sunday evening, charging from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls. The game, which featured a 45-minute lightning delay, was about what you’d expect from an encounter that featured a Waterworld-esque playing surface. It was… not pretty.

Marcelo Sarvas scores United’s opener. (Photos by Pablo Iglesias Maurer)

The Good: Marcelo Sarvas. Sarvas was brought in the off-season to replace the void in central midfield left by Davy Arnaud, who was forced to retire after suffering through some brutal post-concussive symptoms.

Arnaud was the glue in midfield for United last year, doing the dirty work and emerging as D.C.’s gritty, hard-nosed spiritual leader. United were never the same after his departure mid-season, but D.C. seem to have found an apt replacement in Sarvas, who has played a bit deeper in midfield than he did with the LA Galaxy. Sarvas’ skill on the ball was never really a question—he was chronically underrated during his years in LA, where he helped the Galaxy to a pair of MLS Cup titles. What’s been more surprising is that Sarvas has filled Arnaud’s role as an enforcer brilliantly.

Teams that are a bit short on outright skill and long on grit and guile—like United—always need a player like Sarvas to get under their opponent’s skin, to win the mental battles. Sarvas looks on track to break D.C.’s all-time record for yellow cards in a single season—not necessarily the most favorable record to set, but one that demonstrates his effect perfectly.

The Red Bulls celebrate their second goal. (Photos by Pablo Iglesias Maurer.)

The Bad: United’s ever-dwindling playoff chances. Full disclosure: D.C. play in the Eastern Conference, which is a total dumpster fire this year. Yet United seem to be setting themselves up to miss the playoffs, no small feat in a conference where no one team seems particularly interested in winning anything.

D.C. needed 10 points from this past four-game homestand, in my view. Though the six points they gathered puts them just above the red line, D.C. have been downright awful at home this year, denying themselves a reliable stream of potential points. We’ll have a much better idea of where they stand after their next two games, against the suddenly-struggling Montreal Impact and perennial bottom-dwelling Chicago.

The Ugly: I nearly got killed on Sunday.

First, by Taylor Kemp’s attempt at a game winner:

Then, by venerable old RFK Stadium, which burst at the seams under a torrential downpour.

And the rest of the highlights:

Filed Under: ben olsen, DC United, DCU, Marcelo Sarvas, New York Red Bulls, RBNY,