D.C. United Fail to Win at RFK

By John E De Freitas
WI Managing Sports Editor

Last week, D.C. United went into the locker-room at half time leading the FC Dallas 3-0 and by the end of regulation time, the final score was 3-3. “This is like a loss to us, getting one point for the tie instead of three points that we deserve,” said United midfielder Ben Olsen.

Brazilians, Luciano Emilio and Fred, scored the three early goals but Dallas came back on the field and completely dominated the second half.

Dallas forward Carlos Ruiz scored on a header off a pass from teammate midfielder Arturo Alvarez

The 20,953 fans could not believe that their home team defense was crumbling.
  
“I told the guys that the next goal coming out of the locker-room is important and, to their credit, they came and got it, but then we took our foot off the gas,” Coach Tom Soehn said.

“We basically played a wide-open game instead of being disciplined and protecting the lead and making it hard for them.”

United will play a friendly at RFK on July 25 against a Mexican club team.

when D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins failed to come off his line in time to hit the ball away.

“I made the same mistake twice. I shouldn’t have come for either one of those, just terrible decisions on my part,” said Perkins.
 
Shortly after, United lost Captain Jaime Moreno to a hamstring injury. The team seemed to fall apart when Dallas made the easy runs through the middle.

Dallas defender Bobby Rhine crossed a ball from the right wing and Perkins once more was late coming off his line allowing Dallas midfielder Juan Toja to score off another header. Minutes later, Toja scored again to tie the game up.

“We just got too comfortable with 3-0 and they never stopped working, they never stopped believing and they came at us,” Moreno said. “It’s just [a] lack of concentration and that must not happen again.”