By THOMAS FLOYD
First the scoreboard at Columbus Crew Stadium caught fire. Then D.C. United’s back line went up in flames.
Riding first-half goals from Dominic Oduro, Josh Williams and Federico Higuain, the Crew improved to 3-2-3 with a 3-0 win over United, who dropped to 1-6-1 just five months after playing in the Eastern Conference final.
Scheduled to kick off at 7:37 local time, the match didn’t get underway until 8:27 after the scoreboard caught fire, necessitating a visit from the fire department and forcing the relocation of fans sitting in the south end of the stadium.
The Crew jumped ahead in the 15th minute, as Jairo Arrieta found Oduro in front of goal for a point-blank finish. Eleven minutes later, Williams steered an Higuain corner home. And in first-half stoppage time, Higuain converted a penalty kick after Arrieta was taken down by Brandon McDonald.
United’s anemic attack (four goals in eight games) had its moments. A first-half header from Perry Kitchen found the back of the net, but it was called back for an apparent foul. Later in the half, first-year winger Kyle Porter struck woodwork with a near-post blast. In the game’s dying stages, Lionard Pajoy’s free kick hit the crossbar.
But in the end, it was another shutout loss for a club that saw its losing streak extended to five matches. For the Crew, it was their first win in more than a month — when they traveled to RFK Stadium and handed United a 2-1 setback to kick off D.C.’s skid.
Here are the game highlights:
YEAH BUDDY!!!
I don’t know what happened in the offseason but I was utterly unimpressed with the DC team Houston beat game 1 of the season. They don’t seem to have improved one bit since.
I think DC needs to play up the whole 90’s thing. Their uniforms should be made of plaid , flannel shirts & they should play Pearl Jam throughout their home matches.
Branko
Dudar, Brando, Hamdi, and maicon don’t look so bad now, do they Benny?
+1. Though to be fair I think Benny would have preferred to keep both Branko and Dudar.
Ben Olsen is a eunoch. Pajoy still plays. Players were/are out of shape. Sub patterns are beyond bizzare. McDonald has been awful all year and only just tonight got subbed at half time after a couple of howlers. They are running this franchise into the ground.
Don’t be so drastic. Did you watch the match or highlights? Pajoy and United seemed to have more chances offensively than the Crew did. In fact Pajoy had a legitimate goal disallowed. Olsen is around these guys all day every day in practice and he is making the right decisions on who to play and when. That being said , I do question the club’s acquisitions in general, though I don’t know how much of a role Olsen plays in that process.
McDonald did have a bad game but he definitely has not been “awful all year.” THat’s crazy talk bro.
I still believe this team will turn it around soon.
Pajoy has 4 shots on goal in 8 games.
4.
Pajoy looked good this game. Stop whining.
DC United – team of the 90s!
SS winners 2006, 2007; MLS Cup 2004; USOC 2008. Yes all our success was in the 90s.
Yeah, not all, just most.