On the day they commemorated the ten-year anniversary of their last MLS Cup triumph, D.C. United affirmed their status as contenders for this year’s championship, defeating the New York Red Bulls 2-0. With alums from the 2004 team on hand for a pre-match celebration, the current Black and Red delivered a convincing victory over their arch-rivals, riding goals by Luis Silva and Eddie Johnson and a strong goalkeeping performance from Bill Hamid to continue their march toward a potential worst-to-first finish.
It was an evenly-matched contest before a crowd of 19,453 at RFK Stadium on a sweltering Sunday afternoon, which began with both sides generating plenty of scoring chances during an entertaining, if scoreless, first half. New York’s formidable striker tandem nearly put the Red Bulls ahead in the 19th minute when Thierry Henry delivered a well-weighted through ball that Bradley Wright-Phillips guided toward goal with a one-touch shot that sailed just wide of the net. The league’s leading goalscorer would threaten again twelve minutes later, as Wright-Phillips headed a cross from Chris Duvall on goal from point-blank range, only to be denied by a brilliant diving save by Hamid. United would dodge another bullet late in the half, when Henry’s cross found Tim Cahill in the box with room to operate. The Australian international’s right-footed shot had Hamid beat, but caromed harmlessly off the left post.
Continuing his recent strong run of form, United’s Silva had a promising chance thwarted by an acrobatic save by Red Bulls keeper Luis Robles during the 27th minute, but he would break through during the second half. In the 57th minute, Fabian Espindola headed a long goal kick from Hamid towards the box, and Silva beat a hard-charging Robles to the ball and put a right-footed shot into goal past a sliding Ibrahim Sekagya to open the scoring.
After contributing his career-high eighth goal of the season, Silva was relieved by Johnson, whose shift got off to a shaky start when his indecisive, inaccurate pass to a wide-open Espindola likely deprived United of a second goal. The embattled striker would redeem himself during stoppage time, as he deftly corralled a long-ball from Perry Kitchen, dribbled into the box, and chipped in a shot that Robles got his fingertips on, but couldn’t keep out of goal. It was Johnson’s fifth tally in his past eight games as he tries to silence his critics after his very slow start to the season.
With the victory, D.C. remained in first place in MLS’ Eastern Conference (four points clear of Sporting Kansas City), and clinched their annual Atlantic Cup competition against New York. Clearly, though, the Black and Red have their eyes on a much bigger prize, and with performances like the one on Sunday’s becoming the norm, United’s long-suffering supporters have every reason to believe their club may hoist the MLS Cup for the first time in a decade.
