Gomez leads United past RSL, into '07 playoffs

Soccer Betting Lines

09/13/2007 - Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Christian Gomez, the 2006 Major League Soccer MVP, has not had that type of impact season for D.C. United in 2007.

After scoring 14 goals and 11 assists a year ago, Gomez had just six goals and seven assists through United's first 24 games, but on Wednesday evening at RFK Stadium against Real Salt Lake, he looked like the Gomez of a year ago.

The Argentinean midfielder scored the game-winning goal after setting up the game's first goal to lead D.C. to the 2-1 victory over visiting Real. The league fixture not only distances United from the rest of MLS in the race for the Supporter's Shield as the team with the best regular season record, but it also ensures it of a playoff spot for the ninth time in team history. United, which has won four MLS Cup Championships since the league's inaugural season in 1996, has qualified for the playoffs in all but three years - a three season stretch from 2000-2002.

Real Salt Lake, which has lost two-straight fixtures, is second-to-last in the league with just 18 points after 23 games. It got it's lone goal from midfielder Kyle Beckerman, sandwiched in between the two D.C. tallies.

RSL actually had the better of the play for the first 15 minutes, but D.C. capitalized on its first legitimate chance when Gomez controlled the ball in the offensive penalty area, dribbled to the right side of the six-yard box to the endline, and crossed to the back post. Striker Luciano Emilio snuck behind defender Jean-Martial Kipre - who only started because RSL defender Eddie Pope was under the weather - and headed the chance past RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando for his league-leading 19th goal of the season.

Emilio, in his first season in the league, needs just four more goals in the last five games to tie Rual Diaz Arce for the United record of 23 in goals in a single season. The Brazilian sharpshooter now has 17 goals in his last 16 league matches.

Beckerman got the equalizer for RSL in the 32nd minute when he took control of the ball in the center of the field, in the offensive third, and drove at the D.C. penalty area. Central defender Bobby Boswell was late to close, and when he finally got to Beckerman, the midfielder took a quick touch inside and fired a shot past Troy Perkins from about 25-yards out for his second goal of the season.

United almost took the lead under five minutes after the break when Josh Gros - making his second-consecutive start after missing four games with a head injury - was tripped just inside the area by Kipre. Referee Jorge Gonzalez called a penalty, giving United a golden opportunity to take the advantage eary in the second half.

Gomez took the chance but Rimando, widely considered one of the better goalies on penalties in the league, dove to his left to save the low, hard shot. D.C.'s Jaime Moreno, the league's all-time leader in penalty kick goals and goals, did not play in the game after getting called up by the Bolivian national team for a friendly against Peru, which cost United on this instance.

Gomez made up for the missed PK in the 73rd minute after his team had a free kick from about 40 yards out. Marc Burch took the chance and drove the ball right into the RSL defensive wall, but Boswell found the ball on the right side and back-heeled to Fred, who crossed to Gomez at the far post. Gomez made no mistake, heading the chance past Rimando for the 2-1 lead and his seventh goal of the season.

Real was given a penalty kick about two minutes later after a free kick of their own led to a scrum in the box, but former United striker Alecko Eskandarian blasted the chance right at Perkins, who knocked the hard shot out-of-bounds.

D.C. (15-6-4) will be back in action on Sept. 23 when it travels to Chicago while RSL (4-13-6) heads to Toronto on Sunday afternoon.

Game Notes: Rimando, Eskandarian, Pope and Carey Talley are all former United players now playing for RSL. Pope was honored before the game as one of the key players in United history, this being his last season in MLS. ... D.C. will be without Gomez, Fred and captain Ben Olsen for its next game after all three received yellow cards in Wednesday's contest. All three are suspended one game for yellow card accumulation. ... While Emilio is getting close to the D.C. single season team record for goals, he has some work to do to reach the league's record. Roy Lassiter holds that mark with 27 goals in MLS's inaugural season in 1996.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

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