But losing to Timbers will knock them out D.C. United’s longest losing streak of the year means they’ll start the playoffs two games before the regular season ends. Because if they don’t beat the Portland Timbers on Wednesday, it will be all over.
That’s what is at stake after United (9-12-11, 38 points) wasted chance after chance in the past three weeks to take advantage of having played fewer games than its opponents.
| Up Next |
| Timbers at D.C. United |
| Where » RFK Stadium |
| When » Wednesday, 8 p.m. |
| TV » CSN |
A 3-2 loss at Philadelphia after recovering from an early 2-0 deficit to tie the game before halftime.
A 2-1 loss at Columbus after taking a 1-0 lead into halftime.
A 2-1 loss at Vancouver thanks to goals allowed in the first minute of each half.
And a 2-1 loss last weekend to Chicago on a pair of added time goals after D.C. had gone ahead 1-0 with a 90th minute penalty kick.
Yet remarkably, D.C. remains one of four teams still in contention for the last of 10 MLS postseason berths, in a group that includes the Timbers (11-14-7, 40 points), who also need a victory to stay alive.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a real defensive game,” United coach Ben Olsen said. “People have to score goals, and it should be an exciting game. It should be a game that is high energy and high stakes.”
One team, Wednesday’s winner — the Timbers would be on life support with a draw or loss — will also need Philadelphia to beat New York on Thursday and then to win their final match of the regular season this weekend.
“We have to play more loose and free,” United midfielder Santino Quaranta. “I think we have to attack a little more. We’re not creating as many chances as we should at home, in the position that we are, where we need to score goals. I think we’re sitting back a little bit. It’s all a part of where we are mentally, just trying to get over that hump and win a game.”
Olsen insisted that was the plan against the Fire, but when his team has gone forward with the ball, it’s been no secret of their intention to play through MLS most valuable player candidate Dwayne De Rosario (15 goals, 12 assists), to the point where United’s attack has suffered from a lack of dynamism and creativity.
“I don’t agree with that,” United assistant coach Chad Ashton said. “Obviously, the guy’s a playmaker and everybody is looking for him first. But I don’t think that we’ve gone overboard with it or that it’s been to the detriment of the team.”
Whatever the case, D.C. United players can no longer hold anything back, with fatigue also out of the question even though Wednesday’s match will be their third in eight days.
“It’s the final push,” Olsen said. “Everybody’s fit. Everybody’s ready to grind it out and do whatever they have to do to get through 90 minutes.”
