Fire on

Once again, the Fire lost a two goal playoff lead Thursday nite as DC United scored two goals in five minutes in the second half to tie the game 2-2. However, the Fire allowed no more United goals and emerged from the contest with the result they were very happy to get. By adding the 1-0 result of last Thursdays first leg in the two game total goals series to the result, the Fire advance to the Eastern Division finals next week 3-2 on aggregate goals.

There was a bit dueling history for this game. The Fire had lost two goal leads to blow playoff series, as in last year against New England and 1999 against Dallas. They had fucked up repeatedly this year to lose late leads and end up with ties instead of wins. In truth, the Fire was lucky to even qualify for the playoffs with so many slip-ties. When D.C.‘s Clyde Simms and Christian Gomez scored in the 69m and 74m, uneasy memories of these shitty times in soccer history came up. It was even worse in added time when Christian Gomez appeared to score again. Unfuckin’ believable fucker FUCKER !!

But it was a hand ball.

I didn’t see celebrating when I again lifted my head from its gaze on the floor- and I couldn’t see what happened in the repeated replays. But I also realized that our “asses weren’t grass”.

Although the “Fire falling apart late” bit of history was changed in this game, the other part of dueling history continued: the Fire have owned D.C. United in the playoffs. They are now 5-0-2 all time against D.C. in the playoffs. And although D.C. finally scored a goal against the Fire, the Fire still lead 13-2. Amen.

It was a good game. There were many chances early on, but the great breakthrough was in the 31m. The Fire’s Chad Barret scored in the 31st m and then Chris Rolfe in the 33d m. Rite then they were up three goals on aggregate, but there was still an hour to go in the games; D. C. was the highest scoring team in the league, and have a dizzying display of talent up front. It was only in the late 60’s that finally D.C.’s brilliant attack finally showed itself fully. Wow!! Wildly great passing and movement Simms, Gomez, Rod Dyachenko, Fred, Luciano Emilio, and D.C. great Jaime Moreno had them Brazil looking from, say, the 65th m on. Fire looked fucked after the two D.C. goals- @ the rate of D.C.’s attack, it looked like a third goal would come anytime.

Never did.

I gotta admit I feel bad for D.C. One of the foreign players on D.C. (can’t remember who) during the week talked about the cruelty of the MLS system- despite the best record in the league during the 30 game regular season and having a very entertaining team, they were out after two games.

However, D.C. deserved it- to lose, I mean. The Fire outplayed them for the first 155m of the series, and held on the last 25m. A near run thing. Next week they take on the winner of the N.Y. / New England series. The first game was 0-0 in New York. New England- methinks - will advance and set up yet another playoff match between the two teams. This mite be the sixth time in the last seven years that the Fire has to play N.E. At this point, MLS is as incestuous as both the early NHL and the NHL of the 80’s in that playoff match ups tend to occur year after year after year. The same way the Hawks played the Minnesota North Stars and the Edmonton Oilers year after year after year in the playoffs, it seems the Fire will be playing New England and D.C. endlessly.

The Fire will have a good shot against either possible opponent, although New England is the superior team. I’ve chronicled the Fire’s rise in these pages, and they deserve to be in the final four of the league. The addition of Blanco and Conde and the return of injured players have sparked the team, and they are a legitimate threat to win the title.

see the Hilts review of the first leg of the series