WASHINGTON — D.C. United’s mystifying run at Audi Field came to an abrupt end Thursday in a penalty kick shootout against Columbus Crew SC in the knockout round of the 2018 MLS Cup playoffs.
“It’s unfortunate. [Penalty Kicks] are never a lot of fun,” coach Ben Olsen said. “It is a game that can certainly go either way and it didn’t go ours.”
United battled for more that 120 minutes in the first MLS playoff game at Audi Field in front of a vocal announced crowd of 20,600 before being eliminated 3-2 on penalties after the teams played to a 2-2 draw. The loss ended a 10-game unbeaten run for United.
“It is extremely disappointing,” Olsen said. “No one has said a word in that locker room. They are gutted because there was real belief that this was a team, and type of season, that you could do something special in.”
Defender Nick DeLeon was the hero in extra time, scoring the equalizer, but he hit the ball over the crossbar in the fifth round of the shootout to spark Columbus’ celebration.
“I felt pretty confident going in. Obviously the result wasn’t what I envisioned,” DeLeon said. “I shanked it. I got underneath it. I don’t know what else to say, I shanked it.”
United made one of the most dramatic turnarounds in MLS history, going from last place in the East to hosting a home playoff game against a Crew SC team that reached the Eastern Conference finals a year ago. That run began on July 14 with the opening of Audi Field, the arrival of Wayne Rooney and 15 regular season games of home-field advantage.
“It has been a long couple months. After a defeat like this, it will be good to step away for a day or two and decompress,” Olsen said. “But in a few days I will be wishing we were prepping for New York.”
For the second year in a row, Columbus Crew SC advances out of the knockout stage and will host the New York Red Bulls in an Eastern Conference semifinal Sunday.
The first half of Thursday’s match was a battle of the midfield, with Justin Meram winning most of the runs down the left side for Columbus. United struck first, though, capitalizing on a mistake by Crew SC goalkeeper Zack Steffen.
Steffen couldn’t handle midfielder Luciano Acosta’s cross and spilled it in front of goal. Defender Frederic Brillant took advantage and scored his first MLS goal since July 22, 2017, when he played for New York City FC.
With Columbus’ constant pressure on United’s backline and D.C.’s failure to maintain control in the final third, Crew SC found the equalizer less than 10 minutes later.
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On one of Meram’s menacing runs down the flank, he found a way in behind midfielder-turned-right-back Paul Arriola. Meram crossed the ball into a mess in front of United goalkeeper Bill Hamid. Crew midfielder Federico Higuain poked in the equalizing goal.
“I thought the first half they were a little sharper. Their physicality caused us some trouble,” Olsen said. “We made some adjustments at halftime and I thought we were the better team for most of the rest of the game.”
The intensity picked up in the second half with the sides locked in the 1-1 tie. United and Columbus traded shots on goal — and at each other — and Hamid came up big in the 63rd minute with an outstretched save.
Columbus midfielder and captain Wil Trapp stuck tight to the dynamic duo of Rooney and Acosta, shutting down several potential threats.
Acosta and Rooney made one final attempt in the last minute of play with a quick give-and-go ending with a laser shot on target from Acosta. Steffen redeemed his earlier error by tipping the shot over the goal and out of bounds.
“We complicated the game in the final third. We went for home runs when we could continue securing the ball, making them work and looking at a higher percentage shot opportunity,” Olsen said. “I think we let them off the hook a few times. A few too many times.”
Despite the strong performance in the dying minutes of the first half of extra time, United looked tired to start the second period. Higuain took advantage of the gassed United legs and dished a ball out to Harrison Afful. The outside back crossed the ball back to Higuain, who headed in the shot to give Columbus the lead again.
But United wasn’t done yet. DeLeon, who missed half of the season due to injury, hit a screamer into the net for the equalizer that sent the game into penalties.
“The guys gave everything. It was a hell of a run,” Olsen said. “Don’t let this spoil what these guys did to set the right tone and foundation for Audi Field and the next generation of D.C. United.”