Saturday's early game storyline must have seemed awfully familiar to D.C. United. After dominating possession for several stretches in the opening minutes, a momentary lapse of coverage in the defense led to a successful opposing counterattack. To add to the similarities, the protagonist of the counterattack was none other than last Wednesday's lone goal scorer, Danny Dichio. Though United fought back to tie the score, the 6'2" target man added another strike in the closing seconds of the half. And yet, for the first time in nearly a month, United did not suffer another demoralizing loss. The home side's inspired play led to two second half goals, and D.C. secured a 3-2 victory over Toronto FC before 18,647 grateful fans.

Several encouraging signs of resurgence emerged from the victory. Luciano Emilio looked more like last year's MLS goals leader than this year's struggling striker. Though he did not embark on any canny scoring runs, he was tenacious in the midfield and displayed his striker's instinct by jumping on two rebounds and converting them (one of which was disallowed on a questionable offsides call). Marcelo Gallardo led a team effort in cross-field distribution, giving United's attack an element of danger that it had lacked in previous encounters.

Perhaps most importantly, United displayed a better team-wide approach to the game. They gave more effort in pursuing 50-50 balls, remained dynamic on offense, and made efforts to back up their teammates. Unlike previous games, this attitude did not degenerate into despondency for extended stretches, even when struck by the two goals that put them behind.

United could have assigned blame to any number of players for giving up the first of Dichio's goals. Bryan Namoff and Devon McTavish could have communicated better to step up to captain Jim Brennan's run and intercept his through ball to winger Laurent Robert. Gonzalo Peralta should have utilized his size and pace to keep Dichio marked. Zach Wells might have realized that stepping up to clear the ball was worth exposing his near post. Each element of the defense failed, and the result was an easy header by Dichio into an open net.

Instead of allowing the 13th minute goal to frustrate them, United intensified their focus, creating several dangerous scoring chances that were met by Toronto goalkeeper Greg Sutton. United's offensive buildup led to a deserved goal four minutes before halftime. Bryan Namoff's often unsung heroics got the attack started. Displaying Grosian fitness, the defender's runs up and down the right side initiated United's most successful first half attacks. In the 41st minute, one such run led to a United corner kick. Jaime Moreno lifted the ball into the center of the box. Determined to atone for their roles in TFC's goal, McTavish rose above Maurice Edu to keep the ball alive, and Peralta drove himself down toward the net and headed the ball home.

Despite United's continued persistence on attack, Toronto struck again at the halftime whistle. Amado Guevara may have lost a step since his 2004 MLS MVP campaign, but he still commands the utmost respect from opposing defenses. On a counterattack in first half extra time, he drew the focus of United's back line and calmly slotted the ball to Dichio, who calibrated his shot with just enough pace and placement to beat Wells at the left post.

United made their second half count, and clawed back for the victory. D.C. nearly achieved the equalizer in the 67th minute when Emilio jumped on the rebound from Moreno's blast at the top of the box, but United's captain was ruled offsides on receipt of Gallardo's header. The run of play would prove to be prescient, as United's offensive assault in the proceeding five minutes would net them the tying and go-ahead goal.

Santino Quaranta provided the instigating force United's ensuing attacks, but he had plenty of help. Gallardo did well to head a ball in the 69th minute to Emilio, whose flick set Quaranta loose along the left flank. Though Quaranta spent ample time among the right side Saturday night, he proved himself equally as comfortable on the left, and raced into the box toward the near post. After beating Edu, the TFC midfielder shoved him from behind, and referee Jorge Gonzalez immediately signaled for a penalty. Jaime Moreno was as automatic as usual from the penalty spot, catching Sutton going the wrong way.

Just three minutes later, Quaranta demonstrated to the RFK faithful that he had plenty more left in the tank. The normally attack-minded player dropper back to defend, and stepped up to intercept a pass in United's defensive half. 'Tino then embarked on a 40 yard run through the TFC defense. From 30 yards out, he ripped a shot on net that Sutton could only block. Emilio descended upon the ball like a magnet and fired his shot into the back of the net.

There were several trying moments for United in the last minutes of the game. Peralta nearly conceded his second own goal of the season, and Wells' moment of indecision on a 81st minute free kick almost cost United the equalizer. The embattled squad held on. They employed all of the standard tricks during the closing minutes: substitutions, slow restarts, and professional fouls. And they did so to success. United closed out the game with the 3-2 victory, their first since a string of four losses. Though the win might have saved coach Tom Soehn's job, he didn't appear to be relieved or inordinately appreciative of his team's play. Instead, he employed professionalism and a determined demeanor, realizing that, at best, Saturday night's win constituted an appropriate stepping stone to a more successful MLS campaign. While crediting the resilience and faith of his team, his post-game comments added that the positive result should be viewed in the context of his team's previous losses. "We're fighting though this together, and we're going to fight again. Fight another day."