D.C. United got a jarring reality check in their regular season finale on Saturday night, crashing to a 3-2 loss to the Columbus Crew at RFK Stadium in a match that technically meant nothing to the Black-and-Red but nonetheless presents an ominous warning with their playoff opener just days away.
"We got exactly what we deserved today and I think it was a great lesson for us," said D.C. coach Tom Soehn. "Obviously, it was not the result you want to have, especially at home going into the playoffs, but in a lot of ways it knocked us down to reality and I think it is going to be an even better lesson than I expected -- I saw their faces in the [locker room] and we just had a good talk."
After a festive pregame program which included a tribute match to club legend Marco Etcheverry and the official awarding of the 2007 Supporters' Shield, United were brought crashing to earth by a plucky Crew outfit that controlled the tempo and punished the home side for several mistakes.
"I think overall we had a great season," said Christian Gomez, who scored both of D.C.'s goals in the final minutes. "But this game shows that we have to pay attention to detail and not commit any mental lapses moving forward. We have to put this game behind us now and concentrate on what's coming, the playoffs."
The visitors ran out in a 3-5-2 formation that seemed to confound the Black-and-Red at times, and with playmaker Guillermo Barros Schelotto pulling the strings, Robbie Rogers notched two goals in his return to the Washington area where he won an NCAA championship in his single season at the University of Maryland.
"They were just opportunistic," said D.C. midfielder Brian Carroll. "Robbie Rogers had some pace coming out of the midfield, he took his chances well. I think it was more us not playing our best, not moving the ball fast enough and not creating enough opportunities."
United were also disconcerted to see ankle sprains sideline first-choice strikers Jaime Moreno and Luciano Emilio, though Soehn believes both players are "going to be OK."
"It's unfortunate," he said of Moreno's injury, which took place just nine minutes into the Bolivian's first game back following two weeks of international duty. "He steps in a hole and turns his ankle, but it was more precautionary to take him out. So it will be fine."
Emilio -- who is effectively assured of the Budweiser Golden Boot award as the league's top scorer -- came off just four minutes into the second half and was limping noticeably after the match, though it seems unlikely that he'll allow the knock to keep him out when the final dash for the MLS Cup begins next weekend.
"I definitely would've liked to have them on the field, so we can get a feel of how we're really going to be playing," said left back Marc Burch. "But those guys are going to be in there in the playoffs and it changes the game when they're in there."
Despite their head coach's displeasure, most of the D.C. squad downplayed the loss.
"I don't think it's a concern -- I think it's our 'get out of jail free' card," said defender Bryan Namoff. "We were playing very predictable soccer in the first half; we came out a little bit lackadaisical and made a few mistakes. It's an eye-opener. We'll come in on Monday and we'll reorganize, readjust. It's kind of good that it happened now."
Namoff and several of his teammates vowed to show more intensity when their postseason kicks off with a road match on either Thursday or Saturday night, depending on the result of Sunday's LA Galaxy-Chicago Fire clash.
"We just learned that you can't take anything for granted," said defender Bobby Boswell. "I'm not saying that we took tonight for granted, but it kind of seemed that way from the way we played. We weren't really clicking on a whole lot of cylinders. But we'll get it done. We will take care of business in the playoffs."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
