The Aftermath
Not a very attractive performance by United -- other than Bobby Boswell's postgame dance routine in the locker room -- but considering the circumstances (four regulars out of the lineup, artificial turf, 10th game in a month), a satisfying result for the club. While the attack labored, the defense kept its composure and Troy Perkins made a couple outrageous saves. The Addlery-Dyachenko experiment was bland, but it did allow Moreno to rest for a half, and Carroll was fine out of position on the flank. All in all, a blue-collar victory. United is now 12-3-2 in league play since its 0-3-1 start and has yielded just one goal during this five-game MLS winning streak.
One final thought: Will Toronto ever score again?
PLAYER RATINGS
Perkins 8; Namoff 7, McTavish 7, Vanney 7, Burch 7; Carroll 6, Simms 6, Gomez 5, Fred 7, Dyachenko 4, Addlery 4. Subs: Moreno 5, Kpene 5, Mediate 5.
Game report here.
Video highlights here.
NY-NE highlights, with an extraordinary own goal, here.
By Steve Goff |
August 25, 2007; 11:50 PM ET
D.C. United
Previous: Matchday 21: DCU at TFC |
Next: USA Women, U-17s Win
Posted by: Terp4Life | August 26, 2007 12:17 AM
Love the ferris wheel - that needs to stay.
Posted by: MLS1 | August 26, 2007 12:38 AM
As much as I love United, that would have been really cool to see the keeper score in the 94th minute!
Posted by: UVA to RFK | August 26, 2007 12:45 AM
Much as it would have sucked to see the keeper score in the 94th minute you gotta love the awesome long distance backpass by the Red Bulls!
Posted by: garbaggio | August 26, 2007 12:47 AM
I am on the record proposing rivers, mountains, and cities for backdrops of all MLS stadiums. I am now adding the Canadian National Exhibition to that list of mandatory items needed for MLS stadiums. I expect you to get this project moving, Goff.
Posted by: sitruc | August 26, 2007 1:03 AM
Why is Boswell dancing? His absence out there on the pitch is baffling to me, but does reflect favorably on DCU's depth. Is he on the trading block?
If I were Alexi Lalas I would be offering anything I could find out there in Carson, CA for Boswell.
Posted by: hoyanick | August 26, 2007 1:03 AM
Brats and beer, sun and sand, The Pink Cows and blooper reels: some things just belong together. Are we sure the keeper's name was Conway and not Paul Robinson? Did anyone explain to Conway that you use Stick-Um on the gloves, not the boots? Some many jokes, so little time...
Posted by: Throwin | August 26, 2007 1:08 AM
Are we sure that "Carlos Mendes" isn't Spanish for "Nicola Caricola"?
Posted by: Mike | August 26, 2007 1:16 AM
you gotta love when the goalie comes in for the offensive corner kick to win the game. you gotta love when a carlos mendes own goal should go up for goal of the week. you gotta love that United is challenging for the Supporters Shield once again, but this time they are peaking a little later in the season
Posted by: diego r. | August 26, 2007 1:40 AM
Great work from Perkins, the back four, and Simms. We made it very hard for Toronto to connect the final pass, which was their undoing. Perkins came up big when he had to, but the fact that he only made the 2 huge saves (Edu and Dunivant) says a lot about how the defense did, considering what was going on in front of them. If we're that careless with the ball in any other game this season, there's no way we come out with a win. Most other teams would have put us under much more pressure in the first half, since all we did besides Fred's goal was hand the ball over whenever we tried to involve either of our forwards.
Posted by: Chest Rockwell | August 26, 2007 2:24 AM
Why won't coach play me? My mom even brought orange slices for half-time this game and I still didn't even get to play.
That's it, I'm taking down my website.
Posted by: Bobby Boswell | August 26, 2007 4:21 AM
If you recorded the U17 match on ESPNU overnight and don't want to hear the result, skip over this one.
The Yanks got a reprieve and are still alive: http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_2162690.html.
Posted by: Section 410 | August 26, 2007 8:20 AM
I think I would have rated Moreno a little higher than a 5. And a 4 is generous for Dyachenko.
Maybe Boswell was dancing because he is happy the team won and he's not as concerned about not playing as some of the people who post on here are.
Posted by: Glenn | August 26, 2007 8:51 AM
Who was it that wanted to start Nolly?
Posted by: Chico | August 26, 2007 9:08 AM
Must commend Arena for thinking outside of the box. Clearly his defenders cannot defend (Example 1 - Hunter Freeman against DCU; Example 2 that pathetic effort that allowed Twellman to score 1 v 3). Therefore, The Bruce now has them thinking offensively with orders to shoot from the perimeter at all times. Too bad Mendes did a Jim Marshall and went the wrong way. Mad props to Conway for completely missing a ball I could have stopped with my feet.
Posted by: griffin1108 | August 26, 2007 10:47 AM
Chico, in my defense, it was a joke. Sadly, several other posters included Nolly in their line-ups after mine...
Posted by: AlecW81 | August 26, 2007 12:23 PM
echoing hoyanick.
How 'bout some reporting on Boswell's absence? He has been DCU's Rio Ferdinand, and if Rio was sent to the bench in Manchester, reporters would be all over the story.
Posted by: Running Cloud | August 26, 2007 2:34 PM
So how many games is Carroll out for because of the accumulation of yellows? It's too bad the only way he can get the ball is by making cheap tackles.
Could we trade him to Colorado for another outstanding defender or better yet a case of Natty Lite?
Posted by: Southeasterner | August 26, 2007 6:18 PM
Is it just me or would it be difficult to play on the New England surface with all the Patriots football markings everywhere. Sure doesn't look good from a tv perspective.
Posted by: thekop | August 26, 2007 10:34 PM
Go job holding on but to be honest DCU struggled against one of the worst teams in the league.
Posted by: tex | August 27, 2007 9:53 AM
Loved the ferris wheel. Looked like St Pauli was playing at home. Guessing the fair was a tad more family friendly then the Reeperbahn.
Posted by: the cheat | August 27, 2007 10:45 AM
Remember before the season began when everyone was concerned about DCU's defense. Now, the defense is so good that it has no room for Boswell, while the offense is struggling to take advantage of the many opportunities that the midfield is giving it. Our front line looked pathetic -- Adderly, Dyachenko, and even Kpene just cannot do it.
On the plus side, Carroll looked far more effective on the wing than he has in defensive mid. He may be opening up the possibility to put Fred up front, depending on the combinations left to Soehn after injuries and suspensions.
Posted by: ho | August 27, 2007 1:13 PM
I thought that the combination of Moreno and Kpene provided a spark...before we went into our defensive shell and gave the ball away at every chance. i would love to see this combination to start a game. also, i wanna see Bobby B. back on the field(vanny is to slow and plays sloppy at times).
Posted by: Andrew | August 27, 2007 4:52 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.

A victory is a victory no matter how ugly it is. DC pulled out a valiant fight on the road without thier regulars and gave us a road win. Not the most exciting game but Vamons United!!