The sting of the Columbus Crew not making the playoffs for a third consecutive season might be slightly alleviated by the fact they defeated the top two teams in the Eastern Conference in successive weeks to end the season, wrapping up that run with a 3-2 victory against D.C. United on Saturday night at RFK Stadium.
Like the Crew, United had little to play for after clinching the league's best record and capturing the MLS Supporters' Shield after last weekend's action. But the Crew still put an end to United's 13-game unbeaten streak before they head into the MLS Cup Playoffs as the top seed in the East.
Robbie Rogers scored two goals for Columbus, with his second in stoppage time proving to be the unlikely game-winner as United got two late goals from Christian Gomez make the score respectable. Rogers opened the scoring in the first half, then Alejandro Moreno doubled the lead midway through the second.
The Crew finished the season in a tailspin, winning only three of their last 12 matches after getting into playoff contention with a strong stretch in June and July.
United had the first chance less than three minutes into the match when Dominic Mediate latched onto ball that was flicked on to the back post from a driven Gomez free kick from the left side. Mediate lost his footing in the crowd, scuffing the sitting ball with Jaime Moreno getting a second crack at it, before the Crew cleared it away.
The typically enthusiastic crowd at RFK Stadium went quiet in the ninth minute when Moreno fell to the new turf clutching his right ankle, after he squarely struck the foot of a Crew defender following through on a pass. The Bolivian international walked off on his own power but after treading lightly on the sidelines signaled to coach Tom Soehn to come off. He was replaced in the 12th minute by Guy-Roland Kpene.
Schelotto proved to be the straw that stirred the drink for the Crew as they lost four of five when he played only portions or was sidelined with an injury through most of September, effectively ending their playoff hopes. He played a part in laying on the Crew opener in the 21st minute that further quieted the RFK crowd.
Rogers nutmegged United goalkeeper Troy Perkins at the top of the penalty area for his second goal of the year to make the score 1-0. Rogers won a foot race with United's Brian Carroll to a Schelotto ball played through from the right flank, poking it through a charging Perkins, who was out of the penalty area and a split second late.
The Crew kept their foot on the accelerator, catching United sleeping again three minutes later, but Schelotto's first touch got away from him at the top of the penalty area.
United countered shortly after that as Luciano Emilio snuck in behind the Crew back line following some good combination play with Kpene in the final third of the field. Kpene played a low ball through that was barely touched away by a sliding Will Hesmer at the back post. Emilio collected the short rebound, but his cross was a shade too far for Kpene to get his head solidly on the ball.
Hesmer's sensational diving save of an Emilio header preserved the Crew's lead in the 38th minute. Emilio outjumped two Crew defenders but Hesmer got just enough of the ball to push it onto the crossbar before it was cleared away.
The Crew came close twice in short order just after the break. Tim Ward collected a classic switched ball in space and blasted a shot that Perkins batted away nicely at the near post. Then Perkins couldn't handle a bouncing shot Rogers in the 50th minute that led to a scramble inside United's penalty area that was finally cleared.
Hesmer continued his stellar play, denying Ben Olsen from close range in the 53rd minute. Gomez sent a low, hard cross to the back post after combining nicely with Carroll down the left flank but Hesmer stoned Olsen with a spectacular diving save to his left. The ball deflected back toward Olsen sitting on the turf however but he could generate any power to head in the rebound.
Hesmer denied Kpene with an equally brilliant reflex save a few minutes later. Kpene's rocket from the left corner of the six-yard box was labeled for the short side but Hesmer got down quickly, diving to his right this time to keep the ball out with both hands.
But it was Moreno's superb full volley in the 66th minute that was the highlight goal, blasting home a perfectly placed ball from Schelotto made the score 2-0.
United's Bryan Namoff's slow and sloppy clearing attempt was easily turned around by Eddie Gaven who played the ball wide to Schelotto alone at the left side of the penalty area. The Argentinean deftly swung the ball to the far side to a wide open Moreno who slotted the ball just inside the far post passed a diving Perkins.
Hesmer gave Olsen a gift opportunity in the 76th minutes when his shaky clearance from well outside of the penalty area found the foot of the U.S. international just inside of the midfield line. Olsen's immediately floated a shot toward the open goal that an alert Ezra Hendrickson chased down and knocked off the line.
It was a wild final few minutes. A deft chip from inside the penalty area by Gomez cut the Crew's lead to 2-1 in the 89th minute, but not even two minutes later, Rogers latched onto a ball from Moreno behind United's defense and buried a right-footed shot to the far post past a diving Perkins to make the score 3-1.
Gomez scored on a meaningless penalty kick two minutes later after Adam Moffat handled the ball in the penalty area to cut the lead to 3-2.
Chris Snear is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
