Match 36 -  DC United x New York Red Bulls
October  29, 2006
RFK Stadium
Washington, D.C.

- By Joseph Schoenbauer, Wednesday, November 1, 2006

Thank You For Christian

Following the game, head coach Peter Nowak remarked, “The performance of Christian is very important to our team…As Benni [Olsen] said to Christian Gomez in the locker room “Thank you for Christian.”

So sums up the performance of DC United over the two legs against a New York Red Bull side that bears proof of Bruce Arena’s qualities as arguably the most accomplished head coach in US Soccer history.

The signs are there for a renewed rivalry between the two clubs next season.  But for all of Arena’s claims that the New York Red Bull organization is the most professional of clubs in MLS and that he would and could only coach them upon returning to club soccer following 8 years at the helm of the national team, the fact is that on the surface New York is anything but a professional club at present. 

For a professional club is not built upon having nice game day handouts and exquisite condiments in the locker room.   A professional squad is built from a quality product on the field that has the ability to attract people to the stands.  And after 10 years, the truth is that New York has yet to accomplish either of these. 

DC United on the other hand, has made the most of their 10-year existence (thank you Bruce for starting us off on the right track!) as a professional team, winning trophy upon trophy on the field while dazzling the fans who have real reason to be passionate about their club for more than being given free round trip bus rides. 

And so it continues on to the Eastern Conference Finals, where DC United will face a surging New England Revolution, who ended the season with five wins and two draws before defeating the Chicago Fire on PK’s over two legs, largely thanks to their team’s 2006 player of the year, goalkeeper Matt Reis, who made a number of fine saves over the two legs, including 2 in the penalty kick shoot out. 

If any player has been as dominant as Matt Reis over the past month, it has been DC United’s Christian Gomez.  In United’s final four regular season games, Christian Gomez scored 4 goals and provided 2 assists, while in the 2 legs with New York, he was the scorer of both goals, giving DC a 2-1 total goals victory.  Without Gomez, DC United likely would have succumbed to the still 16-year old Josmer Altidore’s headed goal in minute 70 of the second leg.  Instead, they find themselves in poll position to return to where they belong, in the final of MLS CUP 2006.

The game is November 5, 2006 at 4pm at RFK Stadium.  For ticket information visit DC United’s home website, www.dcunited.com.