United ends with loss

After seeing its MLS playoff hopes dashed Sunday, D.C. United suffered more misery Wednesday, falling 4-2 to CD Marathon of Honduras at RFK Stadium.

The loss ended United’s venture in the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League, which pits the best clubs in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Winless in six games, United (0-5-1, one point) ended up at the bottom of Group A, managing just four goals in six games and conceding 14.

With the match tied 1-1 just before the break, United again was the victim of some harsh officiating. Santino Quaranta was red-carded, leaving the club a man down. Francis Doe, who notched United’s opening goal, also was sent off just before the end. United received five red cards in six games in the tournament - and four in the last two games.

“We were working hard, and I feel bad for guys. I let the team down bad,” Quaranta said.

In its last match of the year, United also suffered from the defensive errors and failed chances that hurt the team all season. Determined to end on a positive note, coach Tom Soehn sent out a strong team, fielding eight players that started in the 1-0 loss at the Columbus Crew on Sunday.

United got a dream start in the 10th minute. Quaranta floated a perfect cross from a free kick. The ball deflected off a Marathon defender and hit the post. Doe pounced on the rebound to score his second goal of the tournament. It was United’s first home goal in the event and Doe’s fourth in six matches.

After coming close on two scoring attempts, Marathon’s Saul Martinez didn’t miss his third chance, chipping the ball over charging United goalie Zach Wells to tie the score. United tried to respond, but Doe hit the post. He then took an elbow to the lip just before the break and earned a yellow card for arguing with Mexican referee Benito Archundia. Moments later, Archundia issued two yellow cards to Quaranta for dissent and sent him off.

“We have to understand as a team that when you have international refs everybody [should] treat things differently,” Soehn said. “It was a good game up until that point. We were knocking the ball around pretty well, but anytime you go short-handed, it makes it a heck of a lot harder.”

Just 27 seconds into the second half, United was down 2-1 after Mario Rene Berrios sent a stunning long-range volley past Wells. Milton Nunez made in 3-1 in the 53rd minute, knocking home a rebound after a fine stop by Wells.

United pulled within a goal when defender Greg Janicki shot from close range after Devon McTavish headed on a cross. Nunez set up Marathon’s fourth goal when Marvin Antonia Chavez fired low past Wells.