DC - Colorado Wrap Up

Just a couple general thoughts at the start of the game. The pitch is enormous but it looks like the stadium is a little empty - they're showing the weather hovering at right around 30 so I'm sure that's keeping some of the crowd away. I love the introduction, the music and walking out of the locker rooms together is definitely a step towards improving the professionalism in MLS.

The game started slow - probably a combination of the chilly weather and both teams feeling out the enormous field. A couple nice touches at the top of the box but nothing pans out on either side. I'm interested to see how the surprise starters on the wings - DeRoux and Moose. Olsen gets into the game with a dirty sliding tackle and Perkins makes a nice touch over the bar in the 11th minute.

The opposite keeper, 25-year-old Bouna Coundoul, from Senegal looks athletic and confident, making a save off a well worked shot from Moreno that was destined for the top corner. Terry Cooke looks threatening for the Rapids and he is the one that whips in a corner kick that Herculez Gomez nods home. Just when I was going to compliment DeRoux on a nice start he lost his man badly on the corner, and United goes down a goal in the 19th minute.

Foudy just made a nice point about Colorado's use of the wide areas - something DC isn't doing at all. Moose and DeRoux keep drifting inside, further crowding an already busy central midfield.

In the 35th minute Colorado goes up 2-0 on a well worked play that Brown flicks through to Beckerman and ends up with the ball bak at his feet, taking a calm touch and slotting it home on the far post. The defense has really been in shambles twice, once on a dead ball and now again during the run of play. I think both announcers are being a little harsh on Perkins, harping on how he's on a bad streak after his flapper at Guadalajara.

The second half improved slightly, but as the game moved on there were chippy fouls on both sides, and I think the referee lost a little bit of control, especially when he pulled out a card but DC went on with the play and he never awarded the card. DC's movement of the ball improved when the two wide players were changed - Fred in for Moose and Casal in for DeRoux. While I wasn't particularly impressed with Fred, but Casal showed a willingness to drive at the defense and eventually earned Emilio a free header to draw DC closer. 2-1 in the 80th minute.

The only thing that stood out to me the rest of the game was how Moreno again disappeared in the late stages and how much of a whiner Jacob Peterson is. Not a particularly impressive start for DCU and it's highly touted offense, especially after some good showings in the Champion's Cup. Hopefully Soehn can trick Erpen into sealing up that side and the home opener against Kansas City will be a better performance.

DC Player of the Game: I guess if anyone, Emilio for his hold up play and another smart run and strong finish for DC's goal.

Man of the Match: Terry Cooke looks like he's going to be a real threat from the wing, especially at home on the field that's 80 meters wide. He could rack up a huge number of assists.