DC United - CD Guadalajara

First things first, I missed the first twenty minutes of the game due to some poor driving conditions and some equally as poor human error. When the three of us arrived and quickly made our way to our seats I thought we were also in the wrong stadium - maybe somewhere in Mexico. The Chivas fans were loud, ridiculing calls and an errant goal kick from Troy Perkins. The weather wasn't getting better as the first half ending fairly quietly at 0-0.
Feeling uncomfortable with United chants in our section, we spotted a couple rows of open seats above the Barra Brava. Some decent play from both sides, with Bravo's speed becoming more apparent a problem for DC's defense. Chivas eventually brokethrough with some slack passing on United's right side leading to a break, and after a nice ball across, Bravo only had to put the ball towards the goal before the backtracking Namoff slid the ball past already diving Perkins.
I have never heard RFK louder than it was on that goal and I was fairly sure the goal and crowd's reaction would be backbreaking. But United labored on, with renewed energy from Benny Olsen creating a few sparks. DeRoux was subbed in on the left, moving Gros to the other side and speey Jamil Walker came on for a ghostlike Jaime Moreno. DeRoux was miserable with the exception of one notable run past some defenders, giving the ball away more than his teammates would have liked.
While Olsen should have equalised in the 84th minute, he tried to make amends, tracking down a ball in the corner and forcing a bad foul from Chivas. Gomez's free kick found an open Emilio who casually buried the header and sprinted toward his DC supporters in elation, showing more passion than you would expect from a player in his 3rd game for the club.

Surely we'll love to have this guy around for years to come. I'll be back to talk about the second leg more as the time gets closer.