DC United suffered yet another loss this season extending their winless streak to eight games, this time to fellow whipping boy Toronto FC. DC United fell 4-1 after fielding a squad of mostly reserve players before their match of the season against Real Salt Lake for the US Open Cup Final. DC United placed six players in their starting XI under the age of 23, including Collin Martin (18) and Michael Seaton (17, MLS Debut).
The match started out in the best way possible for DC United. DC Midfielder, Jared Jeffrey, scored from well outside the box to put the away side up 1-0 in the 14th minute of the match. The goal was a beautiful curled goal into the upper corner of the Toronto goal. The goal was oddly similar to the Bryan Ruiz goal for Fulham earlier today. However, just eleven minutes later Darel Russell scored an acrobatic volleyed goal for Toronto FC to level the score 1-1. In the 33rd minute of the match, Joe Willis came up with a huge save to keep the score level after a volley from Bobby Convey at close range. Neither team would budge, so the teams went to the locker room locked at 1-1 at halftime. However, the score would not stay level for very long.
In the 61st minute of the match DC midfielder (currently playing center back), Marcelo Saragosa brought down Andrew Wiedeman outside the box, however Toronto right back, Mark Bloom, was alert to the situation and took off with an advantage being played by the referee. Bloom put in a fantastic cross to Toronto forward Bright Dike who put the ball in the net with a thunderous volley to put the home side up 2-1. The goals would not stop there for Toronto.
Toronto went on to make the score 3-1 after DC United lost possession at midfield. Alvaro Rey took the ball moving into the box and played a ball across the goal that deflected off DC United Home Grown Player, Conor Shanosky, and into his own net. Toronto went on to put a few extra nails in the coffin when Alvaro Rey scored the fourth goal after taking dribbling past several DC United defenders and slotting the ball past Joe Willis. DC United were ready to shut up shop and prepare for their next match.
DC United’s reserve team could not come out of this one with a respectable game; however, if Ben Olsen’s plan to rest his first team squad pays off against Real Salt Lake, I am sure no one will care. The match could help ease some of the pains that DC United have faced this season. DC United will face Real Salt Lake in the US Open Cup Final on Tuesday, October 1, in a game that could rub salt in DC United’s wounds or start to mend them.
(image courtesy of dcunited.com)
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