Rapids use their B Squad, predictably lose to DC.

Not the best management in the world we witnessed out there tonight, let's put it that way.

I can't say this for sure, but I'm fairly certain that Bob Bradley killed Gary Smith tonight and put his skin on. I've heard Gary Smith be accused of "playing not to lose" rather than playing to win, and tonight was a far-from-shining example. Any night where the Rapids start both Danny Earls and Scott Palguta while leaving their best striker Omar Cummings on the bench for the first 60 minutes of a game is usually a night that Rapids fans will not enjoy.

The carnage started quickly and didn't let up, with the Rapids keeping no possession for the first 45 minutes of the game and the two defensive backs Palguta and Earls repeatedly and predictably breaking down with no Anthony Wallace, Julien Baudet or Marvell Wynne to clean up their mess, missing outlet passes and playing awful football. Matt Pickens is the only reason this game wasn't 3-0, making two just improbably spectacular saves before finally ceding a goal to Danny Allsopp.

It wasn't until the second half where Omar Cummings was subbed in that the Rapids started playing anything resembling possession ball. Unfortunately, Jamie Smith took over the duties of "useless player" and provided some of the worst passes and shots that I've ever seen a Rapid perform. Smith was just brutal, killing several attempts at a rally all by himself. Cummings provided the only real clear shot on goal for the Rapids only minutes after being subbed in. Claudio Lopez joined the party as well, but it was far too late at that point. He provided a few nice corner kicks and a couple of his usual clinical passes but the team seemed to have given up around the 75th minute.

A lesser fan might have blamed bad luck, some questionable calls by the referee - which actually started leveling out at the end of the game  - or perhaps even the fact that "anything can happen in football"... but this was all on Gary Smith and his lackluster management. You cannot let a team like DC by you like this by putting out a subpar squad on the assumption that your team will crush them anyway.

MAN OF THE MATCH - Matt Pickens. The only reason why it wasn't 3-0, made some beautiful saves.

GOAT OF THE MATCH - Three way tie between Jamie Smith, Scott Palguta and Danny Earls. Horrible work by all three, Palguta and Earls especially were lucky that Pickens was able to bail them out so many times.