Scattered showers drifted across the Washington, D.C. region throughout the day on Thursday, dampening the RFK Stadium turf and misting D.C. United's supporters during pregame festivities. But it wasn't until after the home team's dispiriting 2-0 loss to the Chicago Fire that the real storm rolled in, with heavy, lashing sheets of rain accompanied by ominous thunderclaps directly over the old arena as flood warnings blanketed the area.
The soggy atmosphere matched United's collective state of mind all too well. The somber postgame atmosphere in the D.C. locker room was more reminiscent of a season-ending playoff loss than an early-May setback, with the Black-and-Red having just lost their fifth game of a 2008 campaign that was bursting with promise and ambition just a few short months ago.
"It's just a difficult night and it just leaves us with another loss," said defender Bryan Namoff, "and frustration comes over us because we know we have all the talent on this team to not only be good, but to be great. But it's the steps getting to that pedestal, so to speak, [that are] missing. And we're trying to find it."
In the aftermath of Sunday's lackluster 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids, D.C. head coach Tom Soehn publicly challenged his side to work harder, show more intensity and represent their colors with greater pride.
For most of Thursday's first half, they did exactly that, dominating possession, tackling with tenacity and pushing their guests onto the back foot. But seven minutes before the break a quick combination between Chris Rolfe, Chad Barrett and Justin Mapp caught D.C. cold and erased all United's hard work to that point as Santino Quaranta's misstep handed Mapp an easy finish. The evening proceeded downhill from there.
"We made a mistake and they punished us," said Soehn afterwards. "It was a ball played in and I think Santino followed the ball and left his man, and it fell back to Justin and he punished us. But it came from a situation where Blanco had too much time to serve that ball. So we broke down. In the first half we didn't break down much but it only takes one or two to punish you."
A rueful Quaranta admitted that his instincts had prompted him to move towards Namoff, who came off second-best as he challenged Barrett for Rolfe's looping cross, leaving Mapp with time and space to pick his spot. With United's psyche rendered fragile by their lackluster league form, surrendering the opening goal proved devastating.
"You work so hard and you come in with a mindset -- and I thought we worked very hard the first 45 minutes -- and you have a letdown and they get a goal, it seems like it sucks the air right out of you," said a depressed Quaranta. "We did the right amount of work but I think we take plays off and we're just not good enough. I don't know. I don't know."
The Fire further asserted themselves in the second half and were duly rewarded with Cuauhtemoc Blanco's remarkable long-distance finish in the 62nd minute. The visitors were then content to sit back and guard their lead, but just like the first 45 minutes, D.C. failed to convert their long stretches of passing and possession into meaningful forays on Jon Busch's goal.
"We've got to find a way to win," said United left winger Marc Burch. "I don't think you can fault us for our effort tonight. But we didn't create any real scoring opportunities, you know? We didn't challenge their [goalkeeper], and we got scored on again. We can't win if we don't score, but we can't win if we're giving up two goals, either, every single game."
With their next match a road date with Chivas USA next Saturday, United don't take the field for nine days, leaving Soehn and his charges to stew over their shortcomings for another lengthy stretch. Given the strength of their conference, last-place D.C. will likely have to watch several of their Eastern rivals move further away from them in the points race as well.
"I asked the guys to come out with the effort and I thought that improved a bit, but still, over 90 minutes it still wasn't good enough," said Soehn. "We broke down and good teams are going to punish you. So it's very concerning. We've got to really evaluate and make sure now that we turn this around. It's getting to a crucial time."
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