United's Run in Champions' Cup Ends
United 2, Pachuca 1

By Steven Goff
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 10, 2008

Under regular circumstances, D.C. United's feat in the closing minutes of last night's Champions' Cup match against Pachuca of Mexico -- scoring two goals to overcome a deficit and defeat the region's most dominant club this decade -- would have provided one of the most memorable victories in the team's 12-year history.

Instead, the 2-1 triumph left United one goal short in the two-game, total-goals series and, in the process, eliminated the MLS team in the semifinals for the third time in four years. It allowed Pachuca to retain its hopes of repeating as champion of the 46-year-old tournament and returning to the world championship late this year in Japan. In the Champions' Cup finals, Los Tuzos will play Saprissa (Costa Rica), which routed Houston, 3-0.

The result left United lamenting several missed opportunities and prompted Coach Tom Soehn and his players to howl about the officiating. And before storming from the interview room, Soehn criticized MLS Commissioner Don Garber for comments he made recently about the team.

After winning the first leg, 2-0, at home last week, Pachuca all but secured advancement on Damián Alvarez's strike in the 76th minute. United, though, took the lead in the game and drew within one in the series on goals by reserves Rod Dyachenko and Franco Niell in the 85th and 90th minutes, respectively. But it could not muster any additional threats and, despite improving its all-time record at RFK against Mexican teams to 5-0-4, United fell short in the first of its three international competitions this year.

"We had a plan and I thought we executed it very well," Soehn said. "Unfortunately, we didn't put away our chances early and that put us behind the eight ball. The one thing we couldn't account for is some of the calls we got, which are game-changers."

United was particularly upset about a sequence early in the second half when Pachuca defender Leobardo López appeared to tug the arm of Fred, United's Brazilian midfielder, as he approached the six-yard box. Fred went down, but referee Jose Aguilar allowed play to continue.

"I was surprised I didn't get a call," Fred said through an interpreter. "I was getting ready to, I thought, score a goal."

Added teammate Luciano Emilio, though an interpreter: "The whole stadium saw it. The referee lacked personality in not making that call."

Soehn watched a replay in the locker room after the match and concluded: "That's a PK anywhere in the world. Our guys earned and deserved better."

Nonetheless, United's inability to finish scoring chances was perhaps more responsible for the loss. Soehn used an attack-oriented starting lineup, lifting defender Marc Burch in favor of forward Jaime Moreno, and although United created opportunities, it could not convert them until it was almost too late.

Marcelo Gallardo's audacious volley from 23 yards streaked over the crossbar and Emilio's bid in the box was blocked. Emilio had two golden chances in the final 20 minutes of the first half, but his touch on Devon McTavish's cross sent the ball spinning fractionally wide of the far post and, while in the act of shooting from 12 yards, he had the ball swept away by sliding defender Marvin Cabrera.

Pachuca threatened early in the second half, but Andrés Chitiva's shot went narrowly wide and Zach Wells soared to punch a López header over the crossbar.

United's attack turned ragged and lacked effective combination play. Pachuca crowded the middle and prevented Gallardo and Moreno from influencing the game. Opportunities, though, arose periodically. Burch entered for Santino Quaranta and set up Emilio with an excellent cross in the 64th minute, but goalkeeper Miguel Calero stopped the downward header.

Soehn added more firepower a moment later, inserting Niell for McTavish, but Pachuca absorbed pressure and went ahead on Alvarez's goal. Pachuca was pushing forward, the ball at Jaime Correa's feet, when Burch disrupted play. Unfortunately for United, the ball skidded to the unmarked Alvarez, who beat Wells from 10 yards.

Dyachenko scored in the 85th minute, blasting in Fred's cross from 10 yards, and Niell one-timed an 18-yarder in the 90th.

"Over and over again, it's very disappointing," Moreno said of United's semifinal issues. "We knew we had to go to Mexico and get a good result because they always come here and play well. Unfortunately, we couldn't do that. We still won but it's not good enough."

Soehn also took issue with Garber, who told Soccer America magazine: "For this league to win over the core audience, we've got to be able to be among the best clubs in North America. D.C. United talks about their goal is to win a spot in the World Club Championship. They want to be the best team in the region. They really struggled the other night" at Pachuca.

Said Soehn: "I want to thank our commissioner for motivating us for some slighted comments he had against us in the papers. I appreciate his TV analysis."

United Notes: The club (1-1 in MLS) will depart this afternoon for Utah, where it will resume league play Saturday night against Real Salt Lake (0-1-1).