DC United Match Report 6/1/2006

Now that is how you get things done United!

Last night was one extra interesting affair at RFK. As TNT puts it, we had Drama. The match against the Columbus Crew was definitely a tale of two halves, the first one being ok, the second one being a finishing clinic. I wanted to run on the field in the first half and smack half the United players for looking lazy, and in the second half I wanted to run on the field and hug every one of them.

The Good

• Moreno getting his 100th goal, early in the match. This was important. It got that camel off the entire club's back, so they could just focus on the soccer. It was a well setup penalty and Moreno took care of business. #100, for #99. Congratulations Blondie!
• Josh Gros. My next DC United jersey will either harken back to United of yesteryear and be a John Harkes jersey, or a Josh Gros jersey of now. That guy was the only one of the field players who played all 90 minutes. He was all over the place, every second of the match, he never let up. He was a menace to Columbus' right side. Especially in the second half, he had their defenders spinning and deservedly got a goal. He was my Man of the Match.
• Alecko Eskandarian. He setup the penalty, should have been given credit for the second goal and clinically put the break away in the back of the net. Could have done better with the tee shot Freddy gave him later in the second half, but a guy who in reality had a part in 3 goals, he can miss one here and there.
• Peter Nowak. I don't have a clue what you said at half time, but that was a different United side that came out from the dressing room. Their runs were better, especially off the ball. You also gave Gomez and Moreno a breather! How much did it hurt you to do that? Granted you were up 4-1 when you took them off, but I was beginning to wonder if you were determined to finish every match with them on the field.
• Troy Perkins. Ah, the Power of Troy. He is making it a lot harder for Rimando to get his starting job back, isn't he? The first half goal wasn't the best of situations for him, as it was a one time shot off of a cross, back across the goal. In the second half, he had some outstanding saves and he did a much better job controlling the penalty box this match.

The Bad

• Finishing. Yes, in a match were United puts 5 in the back of the net, the way that the Columbus defense turned into swiss cheese, they should have won 8-1. Freddy hesitated at the very least, twice, both were in the 6 yard box. When he didn't hesitate and actually shot, Popik had to make stellar saves. Lucio did get his first United goal last night, but he should have had a second one off of a Freddy pass, but he too waited a second and lost his chance.
• The first half. United looked very flat in the first half, the field players tended to do more walking and it looked as if they were only half running when they challenged for a ball. Their passes were going away from each other and they gave away possession several times by just kicking the ball out of play when they were attempting to pass to each other.

All in all, that was an excellent match to attend. I can't remember a match were the Screaming Eagles/Bara Brava set off 5 flares before. United took control in the second half and didn't let it go. US Army General George S. Patton had a standing order during World War II -

"I want you to grab the enemy by the nose, and kick him in the ass!"

United did just that in the second half, they grabbed hold of the Crew and kept kicking them in the ass. Their defense had no answer for the United attack. The only thing that kept the scoreline as low as it ended up as, was the finishing of several United players. It really should have been 8-1 last night.

Now that is how United should play every match.