United Cruises To Victory Over Real Salt Lake, 4-1

For more on the United's victory check out our coverage on OffWing Photo.

MLS Cup: New England Revolution v. Houston Dynamo (First Half)

Twellman scores an early goal for New England:

Photo by Ellen Blanchard

Also be sure to check out more pictures from tonight's game on our flickr page and also our Photoshelter account

Even the ref got caught up in New England's celebration:

Photo by Ellen Blanchard

Placido Domingo opened the game singing the National Anthem:

Photo by Ellen Blanchard

Photo by Ellen Blanchard

Jimmy Eat World entertained the crowds at halftime:

Photo by Ellen Blanchard

D.C. United Vs The Chicago Fire - Game 2

DC United with 4 Championships in 12 years is arguably Washington’s most successful franchise. With that moniker comes the responsibility to not post the best record in the league then lose to the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.

The problem arises when the 8th seed is the Chicago Fire. They bring with them a shutout streak of 336 minutes and an 11-0 goal differential in 6 playoff matches against United.

DC has a very simple task. Win. A one goal margin of victory will lead to extra time and penalty kicks, a two goal margin gives them the series.

United is pressuring early and being rewarded with free kicks and corners. High kicks, high elbows, and fore arm shivers seem to be on the menu tonight from the Chicago defenders. United is having trouble connecting the final passes to their forwards tonight. That will make it difficult to beat the wall of white shirts that are defending the 1 goal lead.

Goal Chicago - Chad Barrett 31st minute

Goal Chicago - Chris Rolfe 33rd minute

Both goals were well taken and generated from crisp passing on the counter attack.

United’s magic number has just become 3. 3 goals to force the game into overtime and they have less than an hour to achieve it.

41st Dyachenko in for Burch

Soehn is going to have to pull out the motivational halftime speech. I would show them a highlight package from Liverpool’s 2005 Champion’s League comeback over AC Milan in Istanbul. While difficult, 3 goals in a half are not impossible.

Goals by Clyde Simms (69th minute) and Christian Gomez (74th minute) created hope and in stoppage time the 19,000 at RFK erupted when Gomez put in a third goal. The referee called a hand ball on Gomez and the goal is disallowed.

United made the game exciting in the second half but it proves to be too little to late. The 1-0 win in Chicago was the difference in the series and United will have to watch someone else win the MLS Cup on their home pitch.

So what is the advantage of having the best record in the league? You get a spot in CONCACAF Champions Cup which is nice. A home and home series barely equates any noticeable advantage. If you have to go into overtime the home team is already on the ropes as the higher seed.

The MLS could distinguish themselves in the American sports landscape. A single table where the best record actually wins the league would make every game a meaningful one.

Americans need the playoff structure some would say. A plucky Portland Timbers team upsetting last year’s league winners wouldn’t be exciting? Promote the underdog angle with the U.S. Open Cup. Create an MLS League cup where your position in the league the previous year determines your seedings for the league cup.

There could be an East and West elimination brackets where the winners of each side meet in the US Cup final. Elimination Cup games would provide playoff atmosphere during the regular season. Have the first match of the year be for charity and have the Cup winners and the League winners square off. The best part is you have examples from around the world that already proves it works.

With the loss tonight United will have to take solace in the Supporters Shield, however the supporters will not take any solace in the loss.

ESPN Gets It Wrong Again

It's hard to understand just how ESPN can be so tone deaf when it comes to showing nothing but disrespect for its viewers. For the past few minutes, I've been watching an MLS playoff match between D.C. United and the Chicago Fire on ESPN 2. A moment or two ago, ESPN decided to break into live match coverage for an absolutely unnecessary SportsCenter 30 at 30 Update.

During this update, Michelle Bonner did nothing but pass along news items that could have easily been handled on the crawl at the bottom of the screen, but that didn't stop the network from shrinking the action while letting a live shot of Bonner in the studio predominate.

Why bother? Because ESPN couldn't possibly let you forget that SportsCenter was coming on at the conclusion of college football on the mother ship. You know, the highlight show that's more important than actual live sports coverage.

DC United vs. Columbus Crew 10/20

Tonight on a warm evening for late October we have the final regular season game of the season for both DC United and Columbus. Columbus is coming off of an impressive win at New England last week 3-2 in Foxboro. Unfortunately for the Columbus Crew, they will be going in a different direction as they had their slim playoff hopes shattered as a result of the Fire’s point against United last week. United, having already clinched the Eastern Division is in sit and wait mode for who their next opponent will be. There might be some scoreboard watching done by the crowd in order to find out whom what might be. United has some extra incentive for a point tonight as they would equal the longest undefeated streak in team history.

DC United clinched the Supporter’s Shield last week making them the first team in MLS history to have won this award in consecutive years. Due to the fact that the MLS Cup is being played at RFK stadium, United now has the unique opportunity of playing three of four home playoff games, including the final.

Due to the reunion game of the 1997 DC United Championship team, the crowd is already in prime form for tonight’s match.

7:18 – Barra Brava is already in fine form as I can tell that they are announcing something, but I haven’t a clue what they are saying on the PA system.

7:30 – DC United is presented the Supporter’s Shield trophy.

7:35 – Kickoff – Columbus

00:03 - From a free kick around 35 yards out, the cross from Christian Gomez drops in for two good opportunities. The second was a laser from the 18 by Burch that blasted just inches over the bar.

00:07 – So far both teams look a little sloppy at the start here. I would think Columbus would have it easier to hit passes with those bright yellow uniforms.

00:09 – Cross from Fred on the left hash just headed away from Moreno just inside the 18.

00:10 – Hard collision leaves Jaime Moreno on the sidelines to get some treatment. DC playing with 10 men currently

00:12 – Moreno is subbed out for Guy-Roland Kpene. Short night for Moreno but with the playoffs coming up as it probably is better not to chance it as he is reportedly out with a mild ankle sprain.

00:13 –DC gets the first corner kick of the night for either team. Cross isn’t there as Emilio heads it harmlessly wide.

00:18 - Namoff is booked with a yellow for a late challenge. Close call there but you could make the argument for it.

00:21 - Schelotto passes it down the right flank and Robbie Rogers is in past the defense. Perkins came out but couldn’t get to it as Rogers slides it by Perkins into the yawning net. Columbus 1-0

00:24 - Shot from just outside the 18 from Kpene but Hesmer swallows it up.

00:25 – Rogers is in again past the defense but this time tries to set up Schelotto right inside the 18. Too bad the entire DC defense saw that and Schelotto was holding his head in disgust.

00:26 – Kpene to Emilio, diving save by Hesmer. Emilio gets it back and puts a cross back to Kpene which is just headed away. Best sequence so far by DC.

00:29 - Gomez into Emilio and he is taken down by Hendrickson in the box hard. Corner kick! The crowd would tell you that that wasn’t exactly the call they were looking for however.

00:32 – Columbus has been picking it up here and earns their first corner kick of the night. While the crowd is still raucous, momentum is moving. Two chances! First is stopped point blank by Perkins while the rocket from Rogers is stopped by a sprawling Namoff. Good thing the defender stayed at home past Perkins. Second corner went for little consequence.

00:35 - Falling volley/bicycle kick by Gomez just inside the 18. Too bad it followed the usefulness of most bicycles and just rolled harmlessly to Hesmer

00:37 – A cross to a running free Tim Ward and Perkins makes a good punch save.

00:38 – Header by Emilio hits the outstretched arm of Hesmer and glances off the crossbar. Great effort by Hesmer there as he just got enough of that one to hold it out.

00:40 – Smoke now coming from the Barra Brava section. Perhaps they should have thought about that a few minutes ago as it is blowing towards Hesmer and might get there in say 10 minutes but might have helped distract him

00:43 – Long set piece from Schelotto headed toward Perkins and he makes a good diving save.

Halftime – Columbus 1, DC United 0
While both teams were a little sloppy in the first half but Columbus got the momentum with the goal. DC might need to make some adjustments in the second half to get the momentum back on their side.
Stat from the Half:
DC is out shooting Columbus 6-5
Halftime substitution – Ben Olsen enters the game, making his 200th appearance in an MLS game. Domenic Mediate is done for the night.

00:46 – Kickoff DC

00:47 – Gaven slides one over to an open Rogers but it is just past the mark and Perkins swallows it up. One thing I might have said at half was to guard Rogers as he seems to have been running circles around the DC defense so far.

00:50 – DC Substitution: Simms in for Emilio. Apparently Emilio has a mild ankle sprain as well. Perhaps he can great a group rate on treatments with Moreno.

00:50 - Two shots and Perkins saves them both. First save on Rogers, second on Alejandro Moreno as Perkins was sprawled on the ground. The header flutters over the net on a third opportunity.

00:53 – Gomez from the left flank, tipped by Olsen and a point blank save by Hesmer, his best of the night. Olsen headed the ball from his rear on the turf but to no consequence. While Olsen didn’t convert that opportunity you are sensing he is close.

00:55 – Good shot from Gaven from the left 18 just headed high for another Columbus corner

00:57 – Schelotto trips Olsen in the DC Defensive end. While he disagreed with the call, the referee reminded him who is calling the match. The crowd was very quick to get all over Schelotto but when you slam the ball into the ground, you kind of deserve the treatment.

00:61 - Kpene blasts a shot from 10 yards out and a great right arm reaction save by Hesmer.

00:62 – Hard foul on Perkins by Rogers. Then Rogers and Perkins look like they are going to brawl. Crowd really is getting on Rogers now.

00:62 – Great diving save to Perkins left on a blast by Gavin. Remember that one as that easily could have put the game in jeopardy for United even with half an hour to play.

00:66 – Schelotto from just inside the 18 on the left to a wide open Alejandro Moreno on the right and blasts the volley right past Perkins. There are a lot of people that would have taken that floating volley and launched it 30 rows into the bleachers, that’s why he is a professional. 2-0 Columbus

00:74 – Namoff makes a good right on the right flank and the ball just is a little high for Kpene as Hesmer secures it.

00:75 – Kpene and O’Rourke slam into each other. While both men lay on the turf, both would have gotten a 10 count. Columbus takes Peterson out for Junge.

00:76 – Hesmer leisurely kicks the ball downfield. Olsen controls and just misses the chip wide right from the Center Stripe. That must have been a really bad feeling that Hesmer had as he was running back to the goal. As a goalie you really hate to see a shutout end on a chip over your head.

00:81 – Hard foul by Burch on Schelotto. Burch argues the call and gets himself on the score sheet; too bad for Burch that it was for a caution.

00:84 – Perkins is about halfway between the end and center lines and blasts the ball to Hesmer. Hey if you want to get on the score sheet in a different way that normal that was one way to do it.

00:87 – Great individual effort by Kpene to get thru the four defenders and get just inside the 18, but the ball just was too far away to strike and was carefully knocked out of bounce for a throw-in.

00:89 Christian Gomez is in all alone on the left flank and chips it over the helpless Hesmer and it’s in the net! Goal DC. Still a few minutes of extra time to get this tied! 2-1 Columbus. Assists to Fred and Olsen

00:91 Rogers gets alone again on the right flank and slides it past Perkins just inside the right post. 3-1 Columbus.

00:92 Henrickson tries to clear the ball away from harm and knocks it into the hands of another defender. Penalty Shot. Gomez converts. 3-2 Columbus

The game is final. What an exhilarating last five minutes as three goals were scored by both teams, but Columbus saves a little pride for their season in closing out United with a final score of Columbus 3, DC United 2.

Christian Gomez is tonight’s man of the match.

Quotes from the Coach Soehn
“We came out flat; this is a great lesson for us.”

“We got to do the little things to win, just not show up. It knocked us back to reality”

United Fall to Crew 3-2

The United earned one more point in a 90th minute penalty shot.

Photos by Kate McGovern.