United's Futile Effort Leads to Elimination

Ex-D.C. Star Boswell Helps Houston Into SuperLiga Semifinals : Dynamo 3, United 1

D.C. United was already facing a massive task to reach the SuperLiga semifinals, needing a three-goal victory and assistance in another game last night. But when the Houston Dynamo scored on a pair of early headers, including one by former D.C. star Bobby Boswell, United's tournament situation fell from grim to downright grimy.

Playing as if it had already been eliminated, United provided fleeting resistance and was formally ushered out of the second-year MLS-Mexico event with a 3-1 loss before an announced crowd of 12,893 at RFK Stadium.

Brad Davis set up each of the first-half goals -- a corner kick that Ricardo Clark nodded inside the left post in the 12th minute and a free kick that Boswell easily directed into the net in the 28th. Francis Doe's third goal in four games offered some intrigue to the match, if not United's tournament standing, but Stuart Holden's late strike clinched it.

"We just need to put it behind us," United midfielder Clyde Simms said. "We knew coming into tonight it was going to be a long shot and that early goal killed us a little bit, but I think we will be fine."

With an eight-game unbeaten streak and every first-round match at home, United had high hopes entering the tournament. Instead, the club exited quietly with three consecutive losses and eight goals conceded, and now faces a quick return to the regular season with a rematch against the Dynamo here Tuesday. United is 1-5-1 in the SuperLiga over two summers.

Houston will look forward to the July 29-30 semifinals against an opponent to be determined.

The way the game unfolded, United Coach Tom Soehn was able to accomplish one objective: manage playing time for his weary regulars. With a league game approaching, Marcelo Gallardo and Gonzalo Peralta recovering from surgery and several others suffering from injury and fatigue, Soehn struck a balance between youth and experience. And after Houston went ahead by two goals, he was able to make four substitutions in the second half.

Luciano Emilio played just 45 minutes, Gonzalo Martínez didn't enter until the 62nd minute, Fred left midway through the second half and Jaime Moreno did not play.

"We had to look into the future and see how important it was to get some guys rest," Soehn said. "It gave me a chance to look at some guys I normally don't see and put them in an environment that you learn a lot. I thought some guys did pretty well."

The evening began ominously as Houston threatened just 20 seconds after kickoff, Dwayne De Rosario narrowly missing the far post. United countered in the 10th minute, but Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad made a routine save on Emilio's clear header, set up by Doe.

Two minutes later, Houston seized the lead when Clark beat rookie Ryan Cordeiro to Davis's corner kick and beat Zach Wells with an angled, five-yard header inside the near post.

"Those are plays our guys have to make," Soehn said of the early goals off set pieces. "They knew what their assignments were and they didn't follow through on their markings."

United had spoken in recent days about scoring an early goal and giving itself a realistic chance of remaining in tournament contention. Instead, the exact opposite occurred and the club was staring at a nearly impossible task against the two-time MLS Cup champion and perhaps the league's most disciplined team.

The Dynamo doubled the lead when Boswell got position on Devon McTavish and headed Davis's free kick past Wells from six yards.

"If I am going to score, it doesn't hurt to score against the team you got traded from," said Boswell, a former MLS defender of the year who was swapped for Wells during the offseason. "But for me the win is a lot bigger deal than anything else."

Doe headed in Marc Burch's corner kick from five yards in the 76th minute and reserve Quavas Kirk followed with a 25-yarder off the right post, but Holden lashed a 17-yarder on the run into the lower right corner for the final margin.

United Notes: Midfielder Santino Quaranta, who aggravated a hamstring injury Tuesday, said he is aiming to return Aug. 10 at New York. . . . The club will not offer a contract to Emiliano Díaz, a midfielder from Argentine club San Lorenzo who was on tryout for two days. . . . Dynamo star Brian Ching sat out until the 74th minute.