After taking small steps toward a turnaround in its last two matches, D.C. United was halted in its tracks by offensive shortcomings that remain the ceiling on any real recovery from the team’s worst start in franchise history.
Mehdi Ballouchy scored the lone goal Saturday to give Colorado its first win over United at RFK Stadium since 1999, but D.C. made sure the 1-0 margin was all the Rapids needed after failing to register a single shot on goal in the second half.
The same margin of defeat one week ago on the road at Dallas seemed like proof that D.C.’s tactical shift to a more conservative approach was making the team harder to beat defensively. At home it simply magnified United’s ownership of by far the worst offense (4 goals scored) in Major League Soccer.
“It felt like for the most part, we were very organized and very good defensively,” said United midfielder Clyde Simms. “We just slipped up on that one, and it hurt us. I still feel like we need to work some more to try to create more offensively, but defensively, once again we were good enough to win the game.”
D.C.’s best chances were a near own goal by Omar Cummings in the third minute and a Christian Castillo cross that rolled harmlessly past the back post in the 50th minute. But despite its equal footing in possession, United (1-7-0) racked up only a host of long range efforts that were powerful but missed the goal completely and a slew of poorly taken free kicks.
Forward Conor Casey failed to offer any reason that he didn’t merit his snub by the U.S. national team ahead of the World Cup, but the Rapids (4-3-1) still broke the stalemate the 67th minute, when Ballouchy found himself alone on the right side of the box with only Juan Manuel Peña in front of him.
United was adamant afterward that the play started with a missed foul by Wells Thompson on United defender Rodney Wallace. But one stepover later, Ballouchy slotted the ball through sliding Peña’s legs and froze D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid, who could only watch the left-footed shot sneak just inside the near post.
“He had Peña right in front of him, took half a touch and for that half second, I lost sight of the ball,” said Hamid. “He put it right through Peña’s legs with some pace at the near post, and I saw it too late.”
It could’ve been worse, too, as Colin Clark’s rocket caromed off the left post four minutes later, and Ballouchy hit the upper left corner of the frame before Hamid made a pair of close range saves late to preserve the difference.
But when Christian Castillo sent his 40-yard free kick well off target in the closing moments, the RFK crowd of 13,570 – more representative of United’s struggles than the picture perfect evening for soccer – were left with a fourth shutout in five home matches this season.
“We need points, and we need points at home,” said United head coach Curt Onalfo. We had another great crowd, and I’m just – I can’t even tell you. I would never imagine we’d start this way, and I’m sick. I want nothing more than to give the fans points that they deserve. But having said that, we can’t sit here and complain about it. We’ve got to find a way.”
