Stormy Second Half against the Fire

Coming into this weekday matchup against the Fire, I had mixed emotions.

While I could remember the complete and utter silence of the supporters section while watching my team get pummeled 7-1 against the Chicago Fire last year, this season the Black and Red came into the matchup against the Chicago Fire five games undefeated, with both of our strikers, Baribo and Munteanu, bagging goals.

DC United started as well as they could have. Within our old-fashioned but reliable 4-4-2, the Black and Red pressed high and were constantly winning the ball. While they lacked that final pass or finish, you just felt a goal was coming.

But then after around 15-20 minutes, Chicago began to up the ante and with it DC’s intensity died. DC stopped pressing, dropped back, and employed a long-ball style of play that was essentially handing the ball to the opposition again and again (sigh).

Baribo, as always, despite being one of the oldest in the starting 11, was still pressing and running back to win the ball like a prime Antoine Griezmann. Sliding and sprinting all over the field to the constant cheers of the crowd every time he managed to intercept the ball.

Against the run of play it must be said, Baribo managed to break the Chicago defense and, with a brilliant back-heel assist from Munteanu, put United 1-0 up just before the half in the 41st minute. Regaining their early composure, DC’s renewed pressure forced a flurry of openings that left them wondering how they weren't up by two or three at the break.

But as I’ve alluded to so far, here lies the current issue for this DC team to overcome: their consistency.

It is normal to drop off in level throughout a match, especially in a league like MLS where there is no risk of relegation and 9 out of 15 teams make the playoffs. However, when the drop-off in intensity is as massive as going from attacking and pressing with pace to dropping back into your own half and sending hopeful long balls to Baribo, it is a recipe for disaster.

After the restart, Chicago played with a sense of urgency that DC just couldn't quite match. Chicago equalized in the 62nd minute with a powerful header and scored on a penalty rebound despite a fantastic save by Sean Johnson (which was never a penalty but what are we doing on that rebound).

DC pushed forward to equalize but failed to produce clear chances, resulting in leaving space behind for Chicago’s fast wingers to expose. Chicago eventually got their third in the 87th minute off a goalkeeping error, much to the dismay of my soaked self in the supporters' section.

While the five-game unbeaten streak is over, I strongly don't believe that this is a defeat that warrants hitting the panic button. We have already seen DC United fight and come back many times this year, including away from home, which they often struggled with in the past. While the team quality and will are certainly present, the key factor we need to improve on is our team mentality and confidence to believe that when we step on the pitch we are going to show we are better than our opponents.

Breaking a seven-year playoff drought is well within our reach. Our play this season has already proven we have the clinical talent up front and the collective grit to compete with the best. To cross the finish line, it’s now a matter of internalizing the consistency and mental focus required to turn that potential into a postseason reality.

DC’s next two games will be at Audi Field. In the next encounter, we will face St. Louis City on May 16th at 730pm. St. Louis is second to last in the Western Conference but have victories in their last two games.