No Eddie Johnson, no problem.
Just days after notching his first goal of the year, EJ was forced to sit out Wednesday night’s encounter with the Houston Dynamo as he served a one-game suspension handed down earlier in the week by the Major League Soccer Disciplinary Committee.
Veteran midfielder and forward Chris Rolfe filled EJ’s shoes nicely, sliding up from midfield and pairing quite well with fellow forward Fabian Espindola. The two players each played a part in both of United’s goals, as Espindola and Rolfe each finished the night with a goal and an assist a piece, guiding D.C. to a 2-0 victory at rainy RFK stadium.
With the win, United move into second place in the east with 18 points. Less than halfway through their season, D.C. have already eclipsed their point total from 2013.
Highlights:
The Good: Tie – Fabian Espindola and Chris Rolfe
Saying that Rolfe was an “option” at forward is a little misleading. The former Chicago Fire veteran is actually more comfortable up top than out wide, something he alluded to after the match.
In Espindola and Rolfe, United have a pair of veteran playmakers; the only question on my mind prior to Wednesday’s encounter was how a pair of forwards who like to drop into midfield more often than not would work together. In the end, it was hardly an issue.
“[Rolfe] and Fabi worked pretty well together,” United head coach Ben Olsen told reporters after the match. “Rolfe has a great ability to fill in the holes and play with guys with different attributes. Whether it’s in Eddie, whether it’s in Fabi, he really knows what the game needs and where to go, so he has been a big pick up.”
The Bad: D.C. United’s attendance woes
This isn’t a new story, so I won’t spill too much ink on it. The crowd at RFK — announced at right around 8,000 — was in reality quite a bit smaller. A rainy, mid-week game in a town with some of the worst traffic issues in the U.S. is a tough sell to begin with, especially at “venerable” old RFK Stadium.
During games like last night’s, where you gaze out from the press box and see a sea of faded orange seats, it’s apparent just how badly United needs a new stadium. I snapped this picture about five minutes before kickoff:
Moment of the Match: Fabian Espindola’s second goal
Why? Because it encapsulates what the fiery Argentine playmaker is all about: trying shit, running at defenders, playing with a fire in his belly, etc:
The Rest: United will next travel to New England to face one Major League Soccer’s hottest teams, the Revolution. (7:30 p.m., CSN) … After the match, Rolfe shared an interesting comparison, saying that Espindola reminded him of former MLS playmaker Cuauhtemoc Blanco: “This was very similar for me because Blanco liked to drift and roam and he was very technical, a very good player, great vision — just like Fabi. I think through those years that’s helping me now play off of Fabi a little bit.”
