(Above: DC United players thank the fans after winning against Nashville, 2-1, on July 13)
Your correspondent has been coping with jet lag and brutal heat, so I got a little behind in the blog. The good news is that I have TWO great results to report on!
First: last Saturday (July 13) DC United broke an 11-game winless streak by defeating Nashville SC, 2-1 at Audi Field.
After several games starting Tyler Miller in goal, Coach Troy Lesesne brought Alex Bono back as the keeper. Peltola, McVey and Herrera started in defense (Bartlett was serving a red card suspension); Santos, Rodriguez, Klich, Dajome and Stroud were in midfield; and Ted KDP and Benteke were at forward.
Nashville drew first blood in the 19th minute. Daniel Lovitz had a long throw-in to the box. Teal Bunbury headed it across the goal and Tyler Boyd raced between Peltola and Santos and volleyed the ball home. DC had some first half chances but nothing went in. Bono kept the game close with a nice save on a close header by Nashville's Sam Surridge. It was 1-0 at halftime.
DC tied the game in the 50th minute. Benteke headed back across the goal on a corner kick and Dajome darted in front of everyone else and sidefooted it into the corner. Five minutes later, Dajome, feeling confident, dribbled down the right side and thundered a volley from outside the box into the upper right corner. Beautiful, beautiful shot. DC had a 2-1 lead.
Nashville had chances (Dru Yearwood hit the post in the 62nd minute) as did DC, but the game ended 2-1. Pirani came in for Ted KDP in the 76th minute, Murrell came in for Stroud in the 87th minute, and Tubbs came in for Peltola in the 4th of 7 minutes of stoppage time.
It was DC's first win since May 11 in Atlanta (2 months and 2 days) and the first home win since April 27 against Seattle. DC had 54% of the possession for the game, 17 shots (7 on goal) and 6 corner kicks.
The win lifted DC out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference, putting them ahead of Chicago, New England and Philadelphia.
Four nights later: another win! An improbable one at that. DC visited Minnesota on Wednesday (July 17), their last league game until August 24 (after the Leagues Cup). The lineup was identical to the Nashville game: Bono; Peltola, McVey, Herrera; Santos, Klich, Rodriguez, Dajome, Stroud; Ted KDP and Benteke.
Benteke started the scoring in the 14th minute, receiving a pass from Dajome at midfield. He dribbled through a defender and slotted a shot under the keeper's left arm for a 1-0 DC lead. Minnesota equalized in the 32nd minute when Tani Oluwaseyi beat a high offside trap to take a header from Hassani Dotson and beat Bono one-on-one. It was 1-1 at the half.
The second half was relatively even, and DC looked like it could hold out for a draw, but Minnesota's Teemu Pukki was left all alone on the right side in the 80th minute and scored to the far post to give Minnesota a 2-1 lead. Bono got a hand on the shot but it was hit too hard to keep it out.
Regulation was almost over, and it looked bleak for DC, but in the 90th minute Benteke headed a corner kick from the far post area back in front of goal. It came to Herrera and he headed it into the net from close range to tie the game 2-2.
Less than 2 minutes later, in the first minute of stoppage time, Bartlett headed a long free kick in front of the goal, and it somehow found its way through the Minnesota defense to Benteke right in front of goal. He slid the ball into the net for a 3-2 lead, and DC hung on for the win.
DC substitutions were Pirani for Ted KDP and Bartlett for Peltola in the 60th minute, Jackson Hopkins for Klich in the 68th minute, and Tubbs for Stroud in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. DC had 46 % of the possession, only 6 shots (3 on goal, all scored), and 6 corner kicks.
DC is now in 11th place in the Eastern Conference and only one point out of the last playoff spot (9th place). However, many of the other nearby teams have a game in hand. Still, this is an encouraging finish to the pre-Leagues Cup part of the season, especially since DC was in the cellar less than a week ago.
Red cards and injuries have decimated the team for the last month, and reinforcements will be coming as of July 18. Austrian defender David Schnegg and Senegalese forward Dominique Badji are already signed, and there is a verbal agreement with Cameroonian midfielder Boris Enow that hopefully will become official soon.
Veteran defender Steve Birnbaum has announced his retirement. Chronic knee and hip issues. He will be honored and finish his playing career at Audi Field this Saturday (July 20) during a friendly against Scottish team Celtic. All the best to him.
The Leagues Cup games for DC are July 26 in Atlanta and July 31 at home vs Santos Laguna. If they finish ahead of at least 1 of these teams they will go to the round of 32 in early August.
MLS play resumes Saturday August 24 at Audi Field against FC Dallas.
Comentarios