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D.C. Lament Spurned Chances Despite Revs Draw
Jamie Moreno's 100th MLS assist could not have come at a better time, as his delivery in injury time for Ben Olsen's goal helped D.C. save a point against a determined New England Revolution side.
Apr 18, 2009 12:15:11 AM
By Steven Streff
D.C. United dominated the game against rivals New England Revolution statistically, as the home side out-shot the the Revs 20 - 4 on the night. But a Shalrie Joseph header in the 50th minute gave New England the lead and forced United to come from behind to earn a point in the 1-1 draw.
Despite having the better of play in the first half, United went into halftime without much end product. After the match, D.C. head coach Tom Soehn bemoaned that his team was unable to exploit the space in New England's defense in the first 45 minutes.
"You leave this game very frustrated, because, especially in the first half, they were ripe for the picking, and I don't think we did a good enough job of managing the space and hitting the weak side, and causing them more trouble," stated Soehn, after his side failed to capitalize on eight shots in the first half, and a majority of the possession.
However, one of the reasons why United was not able to find the opening goal in the first half was because of the play of New England goalkeeper Brad Knighton.
Knighton, who has now started the past three games for New England, made five saves in the first half, as United pressed forward looking for an early goal. Knighton saved multiple Ben Olsen long-range efforts and a point-blank blast from Christian Gomez.
At halftime, Soehn made two changes in his squad. He indicated after the game that a lack of communication forced him into the two subs, something which he would not have done otherwise.
"The second sub I did at halftime, Clyde [Simms] didn't do a good enough job communicating to me," said Soehn. "We were about to start the second half, and he says 'I'm not feeling well, I don't think I can go.' I would have never done the first sub." Soehn had already made the change to introduce Santino Quaranta for Marc Burch. He was then forced to bring on Andrew Jacobson for the ailing Simms.
Simms said he had been feeling somewhat sick from the night before, but admitted that he had indeed not told Soehn before the game.
"I tried to just hide that, and just play," Simms said after the game. "I felt fine, but once you go out there and start playing and running around, you feel it a little more. I felt like I could have went [in the second half], but I think [not playing] was the right decision."
Having used up two substitutions and running out of time to find an equalizer, the game hit a turning point in the 74th minute.
A scuffle broke out between Ben Olsen and Wells Thompson. They had had words earlier in the match, but this time, Thompson crashed into Olsen near the touch line. Olsen was upset, and immediately barged back into Thompson, and ended up holding Thompson by the jersey during the 'friendly' exchange. Both received yellow cards for altercation, but it was a moment that seemed to energize United for the final 16 minutes.
In reference to the altercation, Olsen stated, "[Wells] is a good kid. It's New England and D.C.; I figured I would try start a fight to get things moving." When asked what he had said to Wells during the exchange, Olsen laughed and said, "Nothing."
But as Olsen alluded, the incident seemed to give United the energy to find that late goal, despite time running out. And in the first minute of stoppage time, United's persistence paid off. Fred, who had come on as a substitute for Gomez in the second half, won a free kick deep in New England territory.
Jamie Moreno had already indicated that he needed to come off, but was unable as United had used all three subs, stepped up to the free kick, and delivered a cross to the far post.
Olsen was the first to the cross, and he put his header on goal. The ball crossed the line before Pat Phelan knocked it further in, and United saved a point from a match in which it seemed destined to lose.
With the assist, Moreno became the first MLS player with 100 goals and 100 assists, something which he downplayed after the game.
"That's something that does not mean a lot to me, but I guess numbers count in America, so it's good and I am happy." said Moreno, who was clearly more upset about the team not being able to win the game than the pleased with milestone.
Steven Streff is a contributor to Goal.com
D.C. United dominated the game against rivals New England Revolution statistically, as the home side out-shot the the Revs 20 - 4 on the night. But a Shalrie Joseph header in the 50th minute gave New England the lead and forced United to come from behind to earn a point in the 1-1 draw.
Despite having the better of play in the first half, United went into halftime without much end product. After the match, D.C. head coach Tom Soehn bemoaned that his team was unable to exploit the space in New England's defense in the first 45 minutes.
"You leave this game very frustrated, because, especially in the first half, they were ripe for the picking, and I don't think we did a good enough job of managing the space and hitting the weak side, and causing them more trouble," stated Soehn, after his side failed to capitalize on eight shots in the first half, and a majority of the possession.
However, one of the reasons why United was not able to find the opening goal in the first half was because of the play of New England goalkeeper Brad Knighton.
Knighton, who has now started the past three games for New England, made five saves in the first half, as United pressed forward looking for an early goal. Knighton saved multiple Ben Olsen long-range efforts and a point-blank blast from Christian Gomez.
At halftime, Soehn made two changes in his squad. He indicated after the game that a lack of communication forced him into the two subs, something which he would not have done otherwise.
"The second sub I did at halftime, Clyde [Simms] didn't do a good enough job communicating to me," said Soehn. "We were about to start the second half, and he says 'I'm not feeling well, I don't think I can go.' I would have never done the first sub." Soehn had already made the change to introduce Santino Quaranta for Marc Burch. He was then forced to bring on Andrew Jacobson for the ailing Simms.
Simms said he had been feeling somewhat sick from the night before, but admitted that he had indeed not told Soehn before the game.
"I tried to just hide that, and just play," Simms said after the game. "I felt fine, but once you go out there and start playing and running around, you feel it a little more. I felt like I could have went [in the second half], but I think [not playing] was the right decision."
Having used up two substitutions and running out of time to find an equalizer, the game hit a turning point in the 74th minute.
A scuffle broke out between Ben Olsen and Wells Thompson. They had had words earlier in the match, but this time, Thompson crashed into Olsen near the touch line. Olsen was upset, and immediately barged back into Thompson, and ended up holding Thompson by the jersey during the 'friendly' exchange. Both received yellow cards for altercation, but it was a moment that seemed to energize United for the final 16 minutes.
In reference to the altercation, Olsen stated, "[Wells] is a good kid. It's New England and D.C.; I figured I would try start a fight to get things moving." When asked what he had said to Wells during the exchange, Olsen laughed and said, "Nothing."
But as Olsen alluded, the incident seemed to give United the energy to find that late goal, despite time running out. And in the first minute of stoppage time, United's persistence paid off. Fred, who had come on as a substitute for Gomez in the second half, won a free kick deep in New England territory.
Jamie Moreno had already indicated that he needed to come off, but was unable as United had used all three subs, stepped up to the free kick, and delivered a cross to the far post.
Olsen was the first to the cross, and he put his header on goal. The ball crossed the line before Pat Phelan knocked it further in, and United saved a point from a match in which it seemed destined to lose.
With the assist, Moreno became the first MLS player with 100 goals and 100 assists, something which he downplayed after the game.
"That's something that does not mean a lot to me, but I guess numbers count in America, so it's good and I am happy." said Moreno, who was clearly more upset about the team not being able to win the game than the pleased with milestone.
Steven Streff is a contributor to Goal.com
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