Beating the top two teams in the Eastern Conference over the last two weekends of the season was no solace for the Columbus Crew not making the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
"You can choose to look at it either way but I think it's a positive sign and it's something to build on and it shows the kind of team we can be," said Alejandro Moreno.
The Crew defeated D.C. United 3-2 Saturday night at RFK Stadium, handing the league's top team its first loss in the last 14 league matches. United had already clinched the MLS Supporters' Shield for the second consecutive year, with 55 points.
On the flip side, even with the win, the Crew won just three of their last 12 matches and watched their fleeting playoff hopes dashed last weekend despite a come-from-behind 3-2 win at the New England Revolution on a late goal by Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
"We were in every game all season and we felt that if we got to the playoffs, we didn't see anything that would prevent us from trying to get to MLS Cup," said Crew boss Sigi Schmid. "Unfortunately in the last five games and the last two home games before these two games, we didn't take care of business. We had a couple of unfortunate calls go against us at some points but at the end of the day our youth let us down in crucial situations."
With nothing to play for, Schmid was able to experiment with player combinations with a team that included five players 22 years old or under, and two -- Andrew Peterson and Adam Moffat -- making their first MLS starts.
"We weren't planning on it but we ended up trying some of the things that could be there for next year and it looked reasonable," Schmid said. "Our onus for the future is good. We have a good nucleus there and given time, this is the first year this group has played together, I think they will be very good."
Both goals came from the 20-year-old Rogers, who was an influential player on the U.S. under-20 national team at this past summer's FIFA U-20 World Cup. His second proved to be the game winner in the first minute of stoppage time, on a clinical finish from 17 yards out after corralling a pass from Moreno down the right side.
"He's a good player," said Schmid. "He had a good under-20 World Cup and sort of fell in a hole when he came back. But he got out of there in time and if you look what he's done the last two weeks, he's showing that he can be a player that has very, very bright future."
Schelotto, however was clearly the Crew's dominant creative personality. He sprayed balls to all parts of the field Saturday, including a perfectly floated ball across the penalty area that Moreno blasted home with a spectacular full volley in the 66th minute.
"What he allows us and myself to do is to get a lot of flexibility as to what type of runs we can make because he is able to find that pass that nobody else can. He's got that vision, he's got that experience. He knows what to do with the ball," said Moreno.
Schelotto deftly played the ball behind the United back line to a running Rogers who won the foot race with Brian Carroll and beat goalkeeper Troy Perkins through his legs just outside of the penalty area to make the score 1-0 in the 21st minute.
"When he plays as he played tonight and like the last game where he's tactically up front, he's more in connection with Alejandro, he makes Robbie a better player," Schmid said. "The assist on the first goal was superb; the ball he lays in was absolutely brilliant. You can make those kind of runs with Guillermo (on the field)."
The Crew lost four of five crucial games in September in which Schelotto played a total of 17 minutes due to injuries. It was his influence that turned the match around against New England.
But at 33 years old, Schelotto must decide in the offseason whether he wants to return to MLS.
"Certainly we'd like to have him back. It's in place. It's just him having to decide whether he wants to come back," said Schmid.
Schelotto is a tree trunk and Rogers is a branch. The metaphorical way that Schmid qualifies his core group of players is fitting. But with Rogers' recent form, the youngster could quickly join the Argentinean at trunk status.
"He's always trying to help me. He tells me the best thing to do in certain positions. He's helped me a lot more than I thought he would," said Rogers, referring to Schelotto's scattered English speaking ability. "He's a good guy and an amazing soccer player."
Chris Snear is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
