D.C. United 1 - 2 Columbus Crew S.C.

D.C. United needed a win to qualify for the MLS playoffs, but with only one point in their last four matches, while Columbus had won 3 over the same period, the omens weren't so good.

D.C. United coach Ben Olsen named the same lineup that began flat against Colorado the week before, but pulled back the tie, as their play improved towards the end of the game.

This time, D.C. United played from the beginning, and had the first real chance of the game through Alvaro Saborio who was unable to get the ball beyond Crew's keeper Steve Clark

Columbus themselves had several chances to take the lead

...but were unable to slip the ball past United's Bill Hamid

...or the United defense

until the 27th minute when the Crew's Tyson Wahl collected a pass and ran past United's Sean Franklin

...passing the ball into the box, where Crew's Ethan Finlay collected it

...and despite the attention of United's Taylor Kemp, turned and shot into the back of the net, giving Columbus the lead 1-0.

For the rest of the half, play went back and forth, with both teams having chances, but the score held at 0-1

In the 49th minute Crew's Kei Kamara ran onto a pass and slotted the ball home past Hamid to double the Columbus advantage

Both teams continued to attack

...but it would be United who would draw next blood, as Columbus Crew defender Chris Klute handled the ball in the box, and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty. Which United's Chris Rolfe confidently stepped up to take... and scored

Sensing the potential for yet another comeback United pressed forward

...and managed to get the ball in the net, not once

...but twice. However both were correctly ruled out for offside infringements.

As time wound down, even Bill Hamid joined the attack, hoping to have a "Jimmy Glass" moment, but it was not to be, and D.C. United now have 4 games remaining to rediscover their form and cement their place in the playoffs