by Ethan Johnson
September 24, 2008
This game was played on Sunday, September 21.
2nd minute: FCD free kick by Rocha is sent into the net by Kenny Cooper. Cunningham did some overt grandstanding after the goal, prompting the Telefutura announcers to credit him initially with the goal. Nope, Cooper. 1-0 FCD.
38th minute: Things get chippy with lots of pushing and shoving. No cards or ejections.
42nd minute: Another FCD free kick by Rocha is finished off by Aaron Pitchkolan. 2-0 FCD.
45th minute: But wait, there's more! Just when it seemed that FCD was only capable of scoring off of set pieces, Cunningham crosses the ball to Guarda who gets nominated for Goal of the Week with an aerial strike. 3-0 FCD.
61st minute: Rocha sends a lonnnng ball up to Cunningham who sends the ball past the goalie. 4-0 FCD.
72nd minute: Sala earns his salary with some huge stops during a Chicago goal press.
90+ minute: Justin Mapp crosses the ball over to Brian McBride and spared Chicago the embarrassment of the shutout. 4-1 FCD. I don't fault Sala for the goal, as it was Ye Olde Misdirectione Playe. Plain old winning is better than the shutout.
Despite the rout, both teams underwhelmed me. Don't get me wrong; I'll take the win any day. But this was not a display of FCDs mastery of the game versus Chicago sucking eggs. This was lots of back and forth running, and not a cohesive game plan. Yes, the goals helped. (Duh.) But what bugs me even during "up" times like this is that FCD seized the moment by way of set pieces and an ultimately demoralized Chicago side and not some uber-effective strategy that says "we're well on our way to the playoffs" or even "we are so building on this into next year."
I'll reserve final judgment of course, and let the season play out as it may. But I think it speaks volumes that in the wake of a big win on the road, all I can see is a team that does not look poised for post-season play and really shouldn't move mountains to get there. If any team needed an off-season to reboot, its the 2008 version of FCD.
Next up: FCD is back home against DC United on September 28. I have to work, and will have to watch the game in my spare time. <EM>
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