United's net progress in scoreless tie
By: Craig Stouffer
Examiner Staff Writer
May 23, 2009
D.C. United 0, Real Salt Lake 0
Rarely has defense been the first item mentioned this season for a D.C. United team that leads Major League Soccer in scoring.
But out of the haze of a lackluster offensive showing in a 0-0 draw with Real Salt Lake on Saturday in front of 16,089 at RFK Stadium emerged D.C.’s first clean sheet in eight matches and a hint of long-sought clarity in the goalkeeping department.
In his third start this year – and eighth of his MLS career – Josh Wicks preserved the result with his first career shutout.
“Sometimes I usually get in the habit of thinking shutout, shutout,” said Wicks, who averaged 2.18 goals allowed in six appearances with Los Angeles last season. “Tonight it was every five minutes. If I could win every five minutes, then I’ll win the game.”
Wicks went into the locker room knowing he had a chance after charged off his line to snuff out a one-on-one chance for Robbie Findley in the 40th minute.
After tipping Kyle Beckerman’s quick blast over the bar in the 73rd minute, on the ensuing corner kick Wicks recovered from poor positioning to dive back to his left, denying Findley’s header and garnering the last of his eight saves.
“You can turn around and say he did what he needed to do to win us the game,” said United head coach Tom Soehn, who backed Wicks up with rookie netminder Milos Kocic on the bench, raising more questions about the future of Louis Crayton, who’s contract expires this summer but is yet to be renewed. “Not that the others haven’t, but today it showed that he really put his mark on the game.”
United (3-1-7) still ended the night unsatisfied, registering just one shot on goal against Real Salt Lake (3-5-2), who hasn’t scored away from home this season. Fred came the closest, going wide with a close-range volley in the 24th minute and fumbling a chance on a quick counter early in the second half.
“It’s not the first team that’s come and bunkered against us,” said Soehn. “But the way we addressed it, we didn’t move off each other at all. We just stood there and waited for the next guy to do it.”
Freedom 2, Sky Blue FC 1
In its first top-tier match at RFK Stadium since 2003, the Washington Freedom (2-2-3) won its first home game of the season with two first-half goals in a 2-1 victory over Sky Blue FC (1-4-2).
“I talked to the players beforehand,” said Freedom head coach Jim Gabarra, “not only about the history of this building has for D.C. sports but for the Freedom, that we put a lot of good work in here in three years [with the WUSA], and that the responsibility when they step out there with the Freedom jersey on is pretty big.”
Cat Whitehill nodded in a corner kick in the 35th minute, and Lisa De Vanna scored eight minutes later on a breakaway after intercepting a ball in the midfield.
Making her second start with the Freedom – and playing just her second competitive match since suffering a knee injury at the 2008 Beijing Olympics – goalkeeper Erin McLeod made four saves.
