Emilio, Moreno should give United more punch in second leg

Soccer Betting Lines

10/31/2007 - Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When D.C. United squares off against the Chicago Fire Thursday in the return leg of their Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Semifinal Series, it should have a much different look than it did in the first leg last week - a 1-0 loss at Chicago.

United started that game in a 4-5-1 formation with Guy-Roland Kpene as the lone forward instead of the team's usual 4-4-2 formation with 2007 MLS Golden Boot winner Luciano Emilio and the league's all-time leading scorer Jaime Moreno up top. Both players saw action in the game, but not until the second half with ankle and foot injuries.

That shouldn't be the case Thursday at RFK Stadium, as both players have eased back into training and have a very good chance at being in the starting lineup for the final leg of the total goals series.

"We've managed it well," United coach Tom Soehn told to The Washington Post earlier this week. "We've built it up this week to where I think Thursday they are both going to be where we need them to be to play. ... The qualities (Moreno and Emilio) bring and the talents they bring make us a better team. We're excited to get them back on the field."

"It helps us out a lot to have those two up there," D.C. goalkeeper Matt Pickens told the Post. "They understand the style we want to play. They are big strong guys who hold the ball up for us well and have done the job all year. It's nice to have them back."

That is not good news for fourth-seeded Chicago (11-10-10), which hopes to upset the East's top seed by hanging onto its slim 1-0 lead.

"Especially in the last month, we've matched up well enough to beat them both times we've seen them," Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens told The Daily Southtown. "They're a good team and we know that, but we just have to keep doing what we're doing, whether it's at home or at their place."

The Fire are currently playing their best soccer of the season, not allowing a goal in the past 336 minutes, dating back to the final three games of the regular season, while running off a nine-game unbeaten streak, including three wins in its last four league fixtures. Because of that recent form, the club is also as confident as it has been all season, knowing it has a chance to upset the Supporters' Shield winners.

"We have the best defense in the league, by far," Pickens said. "We haven't given other teams many scoring chances lately."

Chicago's slim lead is compliments of a Chris Rolfe goal early in the first leg, and if United is going to come back and advance to the Eastern Conference Championship, it is going to have to shut down not only Rolfe, but MVP candidate Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who did little in the first leg.

D.C. (16-8-7) is also going to have to find a way top break through the Fire's defense, which it has yet to do in five all-time playoff matches. The Fire are 5-0-1 while outscoring United 11-0 in those previous meetings.

"They're coming to our place to play," Soehn said. "A place we're very good at, and a place we're very dangerous at, a place we've scored a lot of goals at. So it's going to be difficult for them."

The winner of Thursday's match will play the winner of the New York vs. New England match on Saturday in the eastern Conference final.

Lotteruamerica Soccer Betting News


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