Fans who braved the frigid, windy conditions at RFK Stadium on Saturday night were treated to some late-game drama, as Chris Pontius and Nick DeLeon combined on a stoppage-time goal to give D.C. United a 1-0 victory over defending MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, DeLeon caught the Galaxy defense off-guard with a quick sprint into the right side of the penalty area during the 93rd minute. Davy Arnaud delivered the ball in stride, and DeLeon shook LA’s Robbie Rogers with a couple of nifty right-footed touches before lofting a pass that Pontius headed into the back of the net to secure the win.
It was a stirring finish to an evening that started on a foreboding note when United’s already injury-depleted roster was dealt another blow when defender Steve Birnbaum was stretchered off after injuring his left ankle during the 3rd minute. The Galaxy (who themselves were missing stars Robbie Keane and Gyazi Zardes due to international duty) controlled play for much of the first-half, and D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid did well to keep a clean sheet in the face of an LA attack that outshot United 17 to 6 over the course of the match.
United seized back some momentum early in the second half, but their best scoring chance—a Pontius header off a DeLeon cross in the 63rd minute—was denied by Galaxy keeper Brian Rowe. D.C. dodged a bullet four minutes later as LA’s Stefan Ishizaki hit the post on a dangerous long-distance strike. With the cold and wind making for harsh playing conditions, it seemed neither team would break through, until Pontius and DeLeon delivered the stunner in the 93rd minute, bringing the crowd roaring to life.
“It was great to get the goal, but I’m just happy to see our team back with the right mentality,” United head coach Ben Olsen said after the match. “The final third for both teams was a little lacking, but I was very happy with the effort and response from last week. Hopefully, now we can put that type of mentality into every game going forward.”
With the victory, D.C. sits in second place in MLS’ Eastern Conference, with 6 points. United has a short week of training before traveling for their next match on Friday night, when they’ll get their first look at Kaka and expansion side Orlando City SC.
