Before there was all the talk about the new adidas ball in the World Cup, Major League Soccer began the 2006 season in April with the same ball. On Wednesday at RFK Stadium, D.C. United midfielder Clyde Simms showed he can strike it as well as any international superstar.
Simms scored his first-ever MLS goal in the 17th minute with a blistering shot from 25 yards and D.C. United shut down a threatening but ultimately ineffective Chicago attack for a 1-0 win in front of 12,385.
“You don’t have to hit it that hard. It’s all about technique, and it came off good,” said Simms. “I was just open. No one stepped to me. I had a chance earlier in the game, and I didn’t take it. Afterward I thought to myself that I should’ve so I just hit it — luckily I was open — and it went in.”
United (8-1-5) stretched its unbeaten streak to eight games while the Fire (2-5-5) lost for the fourth time in five matches.
Chicago dominated possession for much of the second half but was still limited to just one shot on goal. Fire defender Gonzalo Segares picked out a wide-open Andy Herron with a cross in the 60th minute. Herron hit a left-footed strike from close range, but D.C. goalkeeper Troy Perkins was up to the task, reacting quickly to make his only save of the match.
“It almost looked like [Herron] had a little more time to get it to his right foot,” said Chicago head coach Dave Sarachan. “Andy took it and the save was make, but aside from the fact that we didn’t get a goal tonight, I thought [the game] was very positive.”
United did suffer one blow, the loss of forward Jaime Moreno to an unspecified left leg injury in the 76th minute. Moreno was scheduled to have an X-ray and will be monitored by the training staff over the next couple of days.
D.C. forward Freddy Adu came close to getting his first goal in the first half, hitting the post in the 11th minute.
The biggest positive for United was that it didn’t allow a late equalizer, as it had done in its previous two matches.
“In past couple weeks, we’ve kind of died. We haven’t done the best to kill the clock like we did tonight,” said D.C. defender Bobby Boswell. “It was good to have numbers behind the ball. Even though we were kind of deep in our zone, we weren’t really giving them any clear looks.”
United notes
Lucio Filomeno was let go by D.C. United on Wednesday, after a request by the forward to return to Nueva Chicago, his former club in his native Argentina which was recently promoted to the Argentine first division.
“He said it was his childhood dream to play for Nueva Chicago in the Argentine first division,” said United spokesman Doug Hicks. “We’re used to the childhood dreams being to play for D.C. United.”
