Adu plays sparingly in D.C. United loss

Given the ineffectual way D.C. United’s forward line performed yesterday, the Freddy Adu maturation process might end at any time.

United blew numerous goal-scoring chances and Adu saw little action yesterday as the Chicago Fire triumphed 1-0 before 21,235 at RFK Stadium. The Fire snapped a team-record 327-minute scoring drought to open the season when forward Damani Ralph broke through in the 57th minute.

What began as a promising start to United’s season now looks like any of the last four years. The team (1-2-1) dropped into third place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference while the Fire (1-1-2) vaulted into second.

Adu, who at 14 is the youngest and highest-paid player in the league, played a season-low 18 minutes on his own promotion night, The first 5,000 fans through the turnstiles received an Adu bobblehead.

After watching his team shut out for the first time, United coach Peter Nowak contemplated changing his forward line before Saturday’s game at San Jose.

“Right now, we have to consider what we have to do better and try to find the best combination,” Nowak said. “Is it going to be Jaime [Moreno] and Freddy, or Jaime and Ronald [Cerritos]? I don’t know.”

Coming into the game, United had five goals in three games, with four of the five scored by forwards. United registered eight shots on goalkeeper Henry Ring to the Fire’s two.

“We had some huge performances. Henry Ring came up big for us, obviously,” Fire coach Dave Sarachan said.

The game’s only goal resulted from a tremendous effort from Ralph, last season’s MLS Rookie of the Year, and a United defensive breakdown.

After midfielder Andy Williams gave him the ball in the middle of the field. Ralph fought off three United defenders while dribbling toward the goal. Ralph slipped past Ryan Nelsen and then split defender Mike Petke and defensive midfielder Brian Carroll. From 10 yards, he fired a right-footed shot under goalkeeper Nick Rimando into the left corner.

Adu, who came on for Moreno in the 72nd minute, missed an opportunity to tie the game in the 87th when his left-footed attempt from inside the 6-yard box sailed over the bar after a well-placed cross from Nelsen.

“I had a chance, but I just took the touch a little too far than where I wanted it to be,” Adu said. “I just wanted to kill it right there at the end — volley it right out of the air — the touch went a little too far towards the end line and I tried to bring it back in, but I couldn’t get there.”

In the 76th minute, Adu received the first yellow card of his career when he pulled down Williams.

The Fire dragged into the nation’s capital. This game was the Fire’s fourth in 10 days, including a trip to Costa Rica on April14 for a 2-0 loss to Deportivo Saprissa in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals series.

As a result, United dominated play in the first half but squandered three scoring chances.

Midfielder Earnie Stewart sent a pass from Bobby Convey over the bar in the fifth minute. Two minutes later, forward Alecko Eskandarian missed wide right on a left-footed 14-yard shot from the left wing inside the penalty area. In the 26th minute, midfielder Dema Kovalenko blasted a 12-yard shot in front of goal that Ring deflected. The rebound bounced dangerously at the left post, but Ben Olsen sent the loose ball over the bar.