A nearly three-month stumble into the playoffs is complete.
For the third time in a row and the fourth time in five games, D.C. United failed to capitalize on its chances and allowed a potential playoff opponent to slice up its defense, falling to Chicago, 3-2, in front of 18,652 at RFK Stadium.
United midfielder Christian Gomez scored his 13th and 14th goals of the season, but not until after Chicago had already opened a two-goal lead. Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens added eight saves, including twice punching away Gomez free kicks in the second half, and United midfielder Ben Olsen’s game-tying effort in the 90th minute hit the crossbar.
“We give up the goals like a U-12 team,” said United head coach Peter Nowak. “We cannot do that because in the playoffs it’s going to cost us the game, it’s going to cost us the series, and we all go fishing.”
After opening 2006 with a 10-1-5 record that included a 14-game unbeaten streak, United (15-7-10, 55 points) failed to reach a franchise-best 58 points and finished the regular season 2-6-5 with just two wins since July 15. United opens the MLS playoffs on Saturday afternoon at the New York Red Bulls.
United goalkeeper Nick Rimando made just his second start of the season — replacing starter Troy Perkins, who missed the game with strep throat — and showed his sharpness twice in the opening moments. First, he snuffed Chicago forward Chris Rolfe on a breakaway in the third minute. In the sixth minute, he added a low, diving save of Chicago forward Andy Herron’s penalty kick.
But the Fire (13-11-8) continued to dictate the tempo, and Chicago midfielder Justin Mapp delivered a cross to Gonzalo Segares, who headed the ball in from close range to open the scoring in the 21st minute. Chicago midfielder Nate Jaqua doubled the visitors’ lead three minutes later.
“I don’t think [United] losing three in a row is that big of a deal,” said Rolfe. “If they have a good week of practice and get their heads back in it, they’ll be fine. It’s not like they’re playing bad soccer. They’ll be okay.”
United, which followed up last week’s 22-shot effort with 19 against the Fire, responded late in the first half, forward Jaime Moreno and midfielder Freddy Adu combining to race the ball down the center of the field on a counterattack. Adu fed Gomez on the left, who pulled the ball back to his right foot and sent a bending ball over Pickens into the far side-netting.
Herron scored in the 74th minute to restore the Fire’s two-goal advantage before Adu earned his second assist of the game with a chip to Gomez, who cut the deficit to one.
Playoff schedule
First leg
Saturday, Oct. 22
D.C. United at New York Red Bulls, 2 p.m.
Second leg
Sunday, Oct. 29
New York at D.C., 6 p.m.
