The wait is over for Eddie Johnson.
After eight goalless games, D.C. United’s polarizing forward finally found the back of the net on Saturday evening, powering home an 85th minute equalizer to secure a 1-1 draw against the Montreal Impact.
The goal caps off what’s been a tumultuous couple of weeks for Johnson.
EJ and his teammates were forced to deal with the relative shitstorm of negativity surrounding somewhat disparaging comments Johnson made about United’s playing style and personnel. Things only got worse when he was unexpectedly left off U.S. national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s 30-man provisional World Cup roster.
On Saturday, Johnson put much of that negativity to bed. Though EJ looked disconnected and even a bit frustrated at times, he still managed to scrape together a handful of scoring opportunities and came through with the equalizer in the game’s dying moments.
After the match, United’s players and coaches were quick to rally around Johnson, eager to quash the storyline for good.
“He is here to help the team win,” United captain Bobby Boswell told DCist after the match. “When Eddie is out there we are a better team, that’s the bottom line. Whether he is scoring, setting them up or flicking balls on and defending, he has found a way to help the team get results. And, as long as he keeps doing that we are going to have his back all the way.”
Highlights:
The Good
Fabian Espindola: Espindola — and this is not an exaggeration — was involved in every single one of United’s scoring opportunities. The Argentine has been a pleasant surprise this year, playing with a fire and passion not often seen in MLS. Even when he fails to deliver a quality ball or put a shot on frame, Espindola’s energy — his penchant for “trying shit” — makes him a worthwhile addition.
EJ’s finish in the 85th minute was certainly crucial, and well taken, but Espindola’s service into the box was the star of that play.
Honorable Mention: Perry Kitchen, to nobody’s surprise, put in another exceptional shift.
The Bad
Cristian Fernandez: The Spaniard had his worst game of the year. A poor first touch handed Montreal an easy first goal, and Fernandez looked poorly positioned on multiple occasions throughout the match. His offensive upside — his ability to overlap and get balls into the box — is rapidly becoming an afterthought, outweighed by a series of defensive errors. Here’s his latest one:
His job seems safe for now; Sean Franklin is still nursing a foot injury, keeping Chris Korb (Fernandez’s chief competition at outside back) occupied. But when Franklin returns to full health, I’d expect Korb, who had an outstanding match on Saturday, to push hard for his starting spot.
Moment of the Match: Eddie Johnson’s game-tying goal
You could almost feel a collective sigh of relief among United’s supporters when Johnson nodded home the equalizer.
EJ is among a handful of MLS players who had been considered but ultimately rejected for World Cup duty. This weekend, three of them took their frustrations out on the field, as Seattle’s Obafemi Martins, Toronto FC’s Jermain Defoe and EJ himself all found the back of the net shortly after not making the cut.
I asked United head coach Ben Olsen last Tuesday if he thought Johnson would channel his frustration into something positive, to which he replied (with a wry smile) “I’d certainly hope so.”
The Rest: Jonathan O’Connell at the Washington Post tells us this morning that the D.C. Council may finally get some stadium legislation to look over, as early as this week … After the match, EJ was unavailable to the media, as he has been all week (can’t really blame him) … D.C. next faces the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday (7 p.m., CSN)
