Battle on the Fourth Results in Tie with DC United
By Mark Hofmann, Columbus Wired Contributor, Photos by Dave Liggett (Columbus Wired)

Columbus played to a 1- 1 draw leaving one team very disappointed with the outcome. Fortunately, it is D.C. United’s team that feels like they left two points on the pitch, not The Crew.

“We had the bulk of the play and the bulk of the chances, got to put a couple of those chances away. You walk away from this one disappointed, because tactically we achieved what we wanted to do, and there was a lot of space to play and I thought we could have exposed it a little better sometimes especially on the weak side, but you walk away today disappointed, because we came today to get three points”, was D.C. United coach Tom Soehn’s comments on only achieving a draw in the match.

The Crew’s recent history of not losing at home was at sixteen prior to the match. Taken out of context, Soehn’s words might seem bitter if not even bordering on arrogant. They just played the defending champs, on their turf, how could he not be happy with a tie, even giddy his team left with a point?

A soccer clubs roster is constantly impacted by player injuries or tournament call ups. Regularly these issues force a team to play with less then their best eleven players. A savvy coach in this situation may even find it prudent to bunker down and play a defensive game in hopes of capturing a single point.

A relatively healthy Crew went into the match without the services of Adam Moffat who is recovering from a hamstring injury. Though a fairly good midfielder, Moffat has only played in two games this season. Robbie Rogers and Chad Marshall were called for duties with the national team.

Rogers had yet to find his form from last season, and has not even scored a goal this season. Marshall is the reigning defensive man of the year in MLS, but Eric Brunner seems to have filled in very well to date, and Andy Iro has been tested several times to fill in with Marshall last season. How much could the team miss just two starters?

D.C. United was missing key players to Gold Cup duties as well. Dejan Jakovic (Defender), who has started in all but one match for United, was called up by Canada’s national team for Gold Cup duties. Santino Quaranta (Forward), two (2) goals and six (6) assists was tapped by the US Team.
 

Injuries to forwards Jaime Moreno (hamstring) and Luciano Emilio (knee), who both have scored five (5) goals eachthis season , coupled with midfielder Fred (abductor strain) not starting, D.C. United did not have all of the teams goal scoring potential available.

On paper The Crew looked poised to take advantage of Eastern Division leading DC United’s depleted line up and grab a win and recapture 1st place in the Division. The wonderful winning result could have been celebrated along with America’s birthday fireworks display after the match. But D.C. United brought a different script to the match.

“Well put it this way, we are happy with the point” was Coach Warzycha’s concise opening summation of the draw outcome. Normally that would be heresy for the home team coach to say, but not after this match.

“I don’t think that was our best game, I think D.C. is a very good passing team and was very difficult for us to get the ball from them, and when we got it I don’t think we shoot enough to create too many chances. That’s sometimes how the game goes, and like I said in the beginning, I am happy with the point because it is very important to get the point when you’re not playing your best” was the coaches follow up explanation.

Not playing their best was a very nice way of the coach saying, we got our butts kicked. The Crew, I believe, knew they had been bested by D.C. United play. Right after the match the entire team formed a line in front of the Nordecke crowd. The team members clapped and gave thanks to their most ardent supporters. They looked spent and battle worn, but still managed to extend their unbeaten streak to seventeen home matches (11- 0 - 6).

In September 13, 1814 the British sailed out of Washington up the Chesapeake to the Patapsco River. The British were successful in destroying a lot of Washington including setting many of the young government’s buildings on fire. They were now intent on trying to win over Baltimore.

On July 3rd, 2009 DC United flew into Columbus Ohio. They had built an impressive record with only three losses and were out to try to get their 6th win in Crew Stadium, and end The Crews home unbeaten streak.

The British maneuvered their five gun ships of their sixteen ship fleet to within two miles of the Fort Star (Fort McHenry) and began bombing early that Tuesday morning. The Fort tried to fire back but the ships were out of their gun battery range.

The first half of the match D.C. United had seven shots, to The Crews six shots. The telling difference was that six of the seven shots D.C. took were on goal, where as only two of the Crews shots were on goal. The Crew did fire 5 corner kicks to United’s two, however The Crew’s usual aerial superiority during set pieces was easily defended by D.C. stout defensive line.

At approximately two in the afternoon on the 13th of September 1814 one of the 24 pounder guns of the southwest bastion was dismounted by a British shell. The explosion killed a second lieutenant, and wounded several other soldiers.

In the 33 minute of the match midfielder Christian Gomez succeeded in getting a shot past Will Hesmer’s defense. Five other shots tested Hesmer’s resolve in the first half but where all turned away.

The commotion produced in removing wounded and in the efforts to replace the 24 pounder gun probably induced the British to suspect the forts troops were in a state of confusion. In their haste to inflict further damage, the British moved three bomb ships within striking distance of the Fort’s battery.

Center defender Andy Iro was replaced with forward Steven Lenhart at half time. The change was an effort to marshal midfield defenses, and improve communications on the back line.

“We were a little all over the place to begin with, you know with (Eric) Brunner and Iro I am just trying my best to get them to talk more, yeah I am going to have to give them communication at the end of the day” was Will Hesmer’s explanation of the difference in the center defense performance without Chad Marshall in the line up.

Noticing the three bomb ships had sailed closer the US commander immediately ordered a fire to be opened, which was obeyed with alacrity through the whole garrison. Within a half hour the ships again sheltered themselves by withdrawing beyond the battery’s range. The US troops gave three cheers, and again ceased firing.

Emmanuel Ekpo sent a ball into Steven Lenhart who headed it down to Alejandra Moreno’s boot. He eagerly deposited the silver salvo past Josh Wicks, United’s keeper. The trio surprised an otherwise impenetrable D.C defense to draw the score even in the 59th minute of play. The crowd gave 14,370 cheers, assuming all in attendances were Crew supporters.

“It was a great flick on by him (Lenhart), I was able to trap it, the goalie came out pretty quick so we put it past him,” was Moreno’s matter of fact explanation of the goal. He described it as nonchalantly as he scored it.

The British kept bombing the Fort for nearly 25 hours, showering it with from 1500 to 1800 shells. Finally they ceased fire on Wednesday the 14th at approximately 7 am and sailed away two hours later. They had inflicted some damage but had not achieved their goal of taking the fort.

D.C United ratcheted up their attack in the second half. In all they fired twenty-two (22) shots, with eleven (11) directed on goal. Ten (10) saves were required by Hesmer to secure the draw.

Francis Scott Key watched the twenty-fire hours of bombing on Fort McHenry. The tattered American Flag still standing in the end inspired him to write the “Star Spangled Banner”.

The Nordecke faithful watched the assault of D.C United’s players on The Crew for the whole 90 minutes of play. Perhaps the fans steady chanting and support allowed