The unfortunate breaks that had plagued D.C. United throughout the year held true to form in the regular season’s final match.
Needing a victory to claim the eighth and last spot in the Major League Soccer playoffs, D.C. United dominated host Columbus with 19 shots — hitting the post twice and the crossbar once only to see the ball ricochet back into play each time.
The Crew (17-7-6) also hit the woodwork once, getting a friendly deflection of Brad Evans’ 25-yard strike in the 77th minute that gave them all they needed for a 1-0 win that denied D.C. a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2002.
“We haven’t lived up to the expectations all season,” said United midfielder Clyde Simms. “But I think we did a good job of getting it back [over the last three weeks]. It’s frustrating to put in a performance like that and not get the result that we needed.”
Bryan Namoff’s header hit the left post in the 13th minute, and then Luciano Emilio’s shot — with Crew goalkeeper Will Hesmer hopelessly out of position — did the same in first-half stoppage time. Substitute Boyzzz Khumalo’s close range effort clanged back off the crossbar three minutes before Evans’ game-winner.
United (11-15-4) had destiny in its hands following Chicago’s win over New York on Thursday. But the depleted squad’s better play over the course of October and Sunday at Crew Stadium couldn’t make up for multiple disappointing results and an endless backlog of injuries suffered during the year.
“It’s over the course the season, and we didn’t really deserve it over the course of the season,” said Simms. “I think we learned a lot about ourselves, and I think we did a good job of adjusting, and we turned it around. But it was definitely too little, too late.”
