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United's 2-2 tie with Mutiny is a setback

By Jose Alfredo Flores
USA TODAY

WASHINGTON -- The Tampa Bay Mutiny and D.C. United played to a 2-2 Major League Soccer tie Wednesday, dealing another blow to United's faint playoff hopes.

''We needed three points, but we showed that we're not giving up our battle for the playoffs,'' United coach Thomas Rongen said.

Tampa (11-9-1) scored first on a fluke play in the 16th minute. Former United midfielder John Maessner ran up the right sideline untouched and volleyed the ball from near the goal line over the United (4-13-6) defense. Steve Trittschuh headed the ball toward the left side of the box where it deflected off the arms of United goalkeeper Mark Simpson into the net.

United responded in the 23rd minute on a great individual effort by Bolivian international Jaime Moreno. Moreno, arguably the fastest player in MLS with the ball, sped down the open field toward the middle and passed on the right to a cutting Raul Diaz Arce, who scored from 12 yards out.

United took a brief lead in the 30th miute. Diaz Arce paid back the favor by being on the giving end of a give-and-go with Moreno, who scored on a shot to his right past sprawling Tampa goalkeeper Scott Garlick.

United's brother tandem ofMicah and Judah Cooks made MLS history. When Judah entered the match in the 93rd minute, they became the first brothers to be on the field at the same time in the league's five-year history.

Crew 4, Revolution 1: Dante Washington and Brian West scored two goals apiece as Columbus defeated New England 4-1 for the Crew's sixth victory in a row against the Revolution.

Washington, who has 13 goals for the season, scored twice within six minutes.

Photo op: New York/New Jersey MetroStars general manager Nick Sakiewicz and coach Octavio Zambrano will meet with superstar Lothar Matthaeus today after the team's practice.

Zambrano said he wanted to tell Matthaeus, face to face, how disappointed he was to see a picture of the German soccer star on the front page of a German newspaper showing Matthaeus lying on a beach in St. Tropez, France.

Matthaeus, 39, had treatment on his back in Germany but never told the MetroStars he was going to take his girlfriend to the French Riviera while his team is in the middle of its season. Matthaeus, who returned to the USA on Wednesday, said his doctor suggested he go somewhere warm to try to loosen his back.

All-Star coaches: Zambrano and his staff will coach the East at the MLS All-Star Game on July 29 in Columbus, Ohio. Kansas City's Bob Gansler will coach the West. Both earned the honor for having the most points in their respective groups as of July 9.