Tie Feels Like Opportunity Lost

United Plays Well but Can't Finish Good Scoring Chances : United 1, Crew 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 20 -- There was the shot that struck the crossbar and the two cleared off the goal line by well-positioned defenders. There were the seemingly open opportunities thwarted by late deflections and the preposterous discrepancy in shots.

D.C. United created a bounty of scoring opportunities Saturday night against the Columbus Crew, but all the club could show for its otherwise impressive effort was Christian Gomez's fortunate strike in the first half of a 1-1 tie before 12,646 spectators.

"We played so well, but it's just a shame we didn't punish them with that second goal," forward Alecko Eskandarian said. "We had our chances, we played really well, we created it, but every shot we hit they nicked or blocked or something else happened."

Despite having to settle for a tie, United (4-1-3) could take comfort from the fact that the club has just one blemish at the quarter mark of the season and continues to generate a dangerous attack.

Six minutes after United yielded Joseph Ngwenya's counterattacking goal midway through the first half, Gomez pounced on a rebound to tie the score and help D.C. earn a point in a stadium where it has won just once in the last 11 visits.

United dominated the second half but failed to find the target against the entrenched Crew (3-3-2), which lost goalkeeper Jon Busch late in the game to what Columbus officials fear is another major knee injury. Busch missed most of last year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"The boys are disappointed they didn't get the second goal, but the way we play against a Columbus team with all their guys behind the ball, it's very difficult to break them down," said United Coach Peter Nowak, whose team outshot the Crew 18-3 (9-2 shots on goal). "We played very good soccer. We deserved to win, but we'll see them again at our home in two weeks, so I hope then we are going to finish our chances."

Nowak was full of surprises when he unveiled his starting lineup. Lucio Filomeno, an Argentine forward who had played just 15 minutes the previous four weeks after three quiet performances to start the season, was back in the lineup -- as a midfielder.

Although Filomeno didn't have much of an impact, the team certainly did. However, it took a while for the attack to start clicking, and by then, Columbus had taken the lead.

Busch initiated a counterattack by making a routine save on Eskandarian and feeding an outlet pass to Ezra Hendrickson, who connected with Ngwenya on the right side. Although a teammate seemed to be closing on the Zimbabwean forward, goalkeeper Troy Perkins decided to come off his line -- a big mistake. Perkins didn't get there in time and Ngwenya, in just his second game since being acquired from Los Angeles, lifted an angled shot into the vacant net.

"About halfway through the run, I knew I shouldn't have gone," Perkins said. "But when you make the decision to go, you've got to go."

Added goalies coach Mark Simpson: "I told him not to be too adventurous, to let his defenders do their job. He knows he made a mistake, but he'll learn from it."

Perkins made an excellent reflex save on former Maryland Terrapin Jason Garey's rocket late in the half and was largely unbothered during the one-sided second half.

After the Columbus goal, United had a ferocious response. Jaime Moreno's header was cleared off the line by Eddie Gaven and Gomez's deflected shot struck the crossbar. Then in the 29th minute, Gomez took advantage of Busch's gaffe to tie it.

Freddy Adu delivered a low bid through a tangle of players. Busch made the save but fumbled it away, allowing Gomez to easily deposit the rebound for his third goal of the year.

United carried the pressure into the second half, but Busch made two quality saves before leaving with the right knee injury. On the play he got hurt, Facundo Erpen beat Busch to a cross and had his header cleared off the line by Brandon Moss. (Busch had stepped on Hendrickson's foot as he was preparing to leap.)

Andy Gruenebaum, in his MLS debut, replaced Busch and survived the final few minutes.

"Sometimes you get a tie on the road and you're relieved," United defender Bryan Namoff said. "Tonight we're leaving a little frustrated."