In a pitiful season, even a draw feels like a victory.
Such was the case on Saturday afternoon, as D.C. United welcomed the Los Angeles Galaxy to RFK Stadium, playing to a 2-2 draw against the defending MLS Champions and earning a rare point.
Though 2013 has been a largely forgettable year for the black and red, Saturday’s match didn’t fit the mold. United was behind the wheel for long stretches of both halves, looking more like last year’s playoff-caliber team and less like the worst squad in MLS history.
“I said it all year – we’re in this together and no one has folded up shop: staff, the organization or the fans,” said coach Ben Olsen. “We’ve hung in there together. It’s a credit to everybody. It’s not a credit to me. It’s a credit to these guys.”
United midfielder Chris Pontius – who scored his first goal from the run of play in almost a year on Saturday – was similarly optimistic about his teams performance.
“Last year, even when we were down, I always felt like we were in the game and we could come back,” a cheerful Pontius reflected after the match. “It was nice. I saw that today. I didn’t see people put their heads down. I saw people keep fighting. A lot of times, there are mistakes we can clean up. For the most part, I was happy with tonight.”
In such a massive mismatch, nobody seemed surprised when L.A. scored early. Just 7 minutes in, Landon Donovan – fresh off a successful pair of qualifiers with the national team – played a clever back heel to Robbie Keane, who juked and slotted the ball past an off-balance Bill Hamid.
Surprisingly enough, United fought back. The field tilted in their favor shortly after the LA goal, and D.C. began to push for an equalizer. They got it, just six minutes from the halftime whistle.
L.A. center back Omar Gonzalez settled a ball 30 yards from goal, then looked for an outlet, which wasn’t there. An onrushing Pontius stripped the Galaxy defender, streaking in on goal and finishing around Jaime Penedo.
Gonzalez was quick to own up to his error after the match. “I felt we were playing a lot of long balls, and I wanted to start playing the ball on the ground, start connecting some passes through midfield. Pontius was good to be right on my heels; I didn’t see him there.”
Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, on the other hand, was unforgiving when asked to offer his thoughts on his center back’s performance: “If this was a teaching moment, he failed – he got a bad grade. He’s experienced enough as a player now where he shouldn’t be in that position. Hopefully he continues to grow from his experiences.”
Both teams traded blows in the second half. L.A.’s second goal would come against the run of play, in the 80th minute. Michael Stephens controlled the ball at the top of the box, firing a perfectly placed shot to the far post. United, however, weren’t finished; they equalized just four minutes later, as Kyle Porter headed home a Perry Kitchen cross.
United will likely look to build on this result and gain momentum as they prepare for their U.S. Open Cup final against Real Salt Lake on October 1st – the only meaningful game they have left on their schedule.
There are times of real spirit with this crew,” Olsen told DCist after the match. “And I still believe in the nucleus of this team, and tonight was a great dress rehearsal for Salt Lake because Real Salt Lake has this type of quality. Overall, I’m pleased.”
