By Ridge Mahoney, Senior Editor
Soccer America Magazine
Teams that lose crucial home games in September and October can usually be crossed off the list of potential MLS Cup participants. Only one that did so last weekend, the Revs, can be retained.
The Metros chose the worst possible time to flounder at home, being blasted by four straight D.C. goals after taking a 1-0 lead, but any illusions that this team could do anything in the playoffs — should it reach them — is just that, an illusion. The defense is shaky and is attack is painfully dependent on Youri Djorkaeff in the absence of Amado Guevara.
Yes, the Metros did erupt for five goals in beating the Revs two weeks ago. They also conceded four in the same game and haven't gained a point since.
Also begging to be obliterated are the Wizards, 1-0 losers at home to a Chicago team that parlayed rookie keeper David Mahoney's first MLS start into a vital victory.
Dismissing KC off one home loss seems severe, except to recall that it needed a desperate rally in its previous home game to tie Los Angeles, 2-2, and lost 1-0 to the Metros at home the game before that.
The Wizards seem to lose a bit of fight and bite without Diego Gutierrez. Without him in their last five matches — since he flipped out in the final minutes of a 1-0 loss to Columbus and was sent off — they have two points. Besides the 2-2 tie with L.A., they've lost their last three home games by 1-0 scores.
Kerry Zavagnin is a staunch stalwart, Chris Klein never quits, and Josh Wolff can harass any back line. But Davy Arnaud has been off-self all season, and only so much can be expected from rookie Scott Sealy and veteran Preki.
New England lost at home to San Jose, 2-0, in a showdown of conference leaders. As the Revs and 10 other teams have discovered this season, the Quakes have more than one way to beat you and can get it done on the road; their 8-4-3 away mark is the league's best.
They are not strictly a Spartan Stadium phenomenon. They can smother and exploit teams with pressure and movement, or they can play it a bit coy by permitting midfield possession until winning the ball and launching the counter, or they can stun foes with set plays.
The Revs succumbed to the latter two scenarios, allowing Brian Ching to head in at the near post on a corner kick and failing to stop a Dwayne DeRosario breakaway. Both times the victimized was rookie defender Michael Parkhurst; Ching overpowered him and DeRosario glided past him.