United, Firpo settle for 1-1 draw

WASHINGTON -- If D.C. United is going to become the first MLS team to win a CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round series, they will have to do it the hard way.

Jaime Moreno's penalty kick canceled out Mario Benitez's goal, but United only salvaged a 1-1 tie with El Salvador's L.A. Firpo on Tuesday night, meaning they will likely need a road win to advance to the tournament's group stage.

"We've been through these competitions before, knowing that if you don't take care of these results at home you're going to be in for a tough environment and difficult circumstances," D.C. United coach Tom Soehn said. "There's no other result than having to go down there and get a win. A result."

The second and final game of the total-goals series will be next Tuesday in El Salvador. United will advance with a win or by scoring at least two goals in a tie against the nine-time Salvadoran champs, who are in their preseason. They open their domestic campaign on Aug. 16.

The New England Revolution and Chivas USA both failed to win preliminary series in last year's inaugural tournament, while D.C. and the Houston Dynamo had automatic berths to the group stage.

"I think it's going to be really, really hard for us to play on their field next Tuesday," D.C. goalkeeper Milos Kocic said. "Today, we felt like we weren't playing home. We felt like we were on a neutral field. I was screaming, I was yelling at guys, 'Let's go, let's go, this is our field."

Benitez, in his Firpo debut, put his side ahead in the 26th minute, stealing the ball from Greg Janicki in the United end and driving a shot inside the right post, past Kocic's dive.

Moreno tied it three minutes before halftime with a well-placed penalty after referee Paul Delgadillo ruled that Christian Sanchez's slide tackle brought down Rodney Wallace in the 18-yard box.

Both sides had chances to go ahead in a lively second half. United's Christian Gomez was denied from close range in the 90th minute by goalkeeper Juan Gomez. Five minutes earlier, D.C.'s Andrew Jacobson and Firpo's Herbert Barrera each sent good chances wide in an end-to-end sequence.

United was originally slated to play fall 2008 Salvadoran runners-up Chalatenango, but Firpo was offered Chalatenango's berth when the team failed to meet tournament requirements.

"We were a bit surprised (to be invited). We learned about 19 or 20 days before tonight's match," Firpo coach Augistin Castillo said through an interpreter. "At first, a lot of people didn't want us to participate because we didn't have the adequate training necessary to compete in the tournament. But the players really wanted to play in this tournament."

Firpo, who went 2-2-2 but failed to progress in the tournament last year, last won the Salvadoran league in the 2008 spring season. Firpo was the runner-up this spring.

D.C., 0-5-2 in this event, qualified by winning the 2008 U.S. Open Cup.