22 May 2008
Wednesday Recap: Reds Hold Off United
Posted by Drew Epperley under: DC United; MLS; Toronto FC .
On a rainy night in Toronto the home side prevailed in a close battle. Toronto FC scored an early Danny Dichio goal and never looked back as they beat DC United 1-0.
Early goals are usually tough to come back from, especially when you are on the road in an environment like BMO Field in Toronto. The Reds have been very good defensively as of late and really held DC to only a couple real chances on Greg Sutton’s goal.
Toronto on the other hand had their chances and with Dichio’s goal didn’t have to press as much as they normally do. The early goal gave them enough confidence to carry through the game. Here and there Toronto sat back and defended off the DC attack but were able to get some quality counter-attack chances, even more so late in the game when Jarred Smith came off the bench.
For the most part this was a very evenly played game. The field was wet and slick, which caused some physical play between the two sides. Ultimately on the lone goal, Devon McTavish slipped up and allowed a towering Dichio to muscle is way into goal. Plus it didn’t help out that keeper Zach Wells was clearly out of position and didn’t play the ball well at all.
Toronto goes away with the win in the early game of the week’s home-and-home battle between the two sides. DC would have loved to have gotten at least a point on the road but they head home with nothing to show for before Saturday’s rematch in RFK Stadium.
It wasn’t that DC looked bad, they just didn’t create the chances that we have seen out of this club in the past. Marcello Gallardo had some good chances but his free kicks were a little off tonight. Fred had the one real good chance on goal but you can’t do too much about the header when Greg Sutton comes up huge with save. Sometimes luck just doesn’t fall for a club and tonight that club was DC.
As bad has this club has looked in previous weeks, tonight was a glimmer of hope for United fans I think. The team played well on the road even though the result won’t show it.
But one thing is clear, where in the world did Luciano Emilio disappear off to this season? I don’t think head coach Tom Soehn’s days are as numbered as Emilio’s here. Soehn did what he could to get his club back into the game in the second half with the subs he used. In the end you have to wonder more about Emilio’s status than anything else. His play has clearly brought this club down a big notch.
