Colorado 2, DCU 1

Back in the last bad years of DCU's drought, when the spiritual leaders were the washed-up once greats Stoitchkov and Etcheverry, United played every game as if the opponent was not the other eleven in uniform but the referee. Once the referee made one call slighty maybe an itsy bit wrong against DCU their game concentration disappeared, and the rest of the game became one long losing harangue against the ref. I'm not saying that's what happened last night after Brian Hall gave a PK to Colorado on what may or may not have been a foul (it depends on whether you're an advocate that if it would have been a foul outside the box then it's a foul in the box or an advocate that PK fouls should be a little extra). I am saying the DCU was the better team up until the PK and the lesser team after.

Ben didn't start; the Post says he had a slight groin strain, though I'd like to think that Nowak was rewarding Ben for both his service to United and his making the USMNT roster by not risking injury (or further injury) and spoiling Ben's trip to Germany.

Next week at home v KC, three points they need if they don't want the season to become an early grind. It's going to grind at some point - that stretch from June 28 to August 19 when they play seven out of eight on the road comes to mind - so taking full points at home against a conference rival (who are ahead of DCU in standing NOW) is important.