Just moments after their improbable 6-4 come-from-behind victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening, D.C. United’s locker room was full of jubilant voices. Players and coaches, still riding the post-game high, had filed off the field and into their dressing room, exchanging high-fives and congratulatory hugs.
And with good reason: for the second week in a row, United had stormed back from an early 2-0 deficit to win a match — something no MLS team had ever done before — and had done so in spectacular fashion, putting up six goals in an encounter that won’t soon be forgotten.
There was one voice, however, that was nowhere to be found: Ben Olsen’s. The normally vocal head coach had lost his voice mid-way through the second half. Who could blame him? He was hardly the only one screaming during one of the wildest matches in MLS history.
“He didn’t address us [after the match],” United midfielder Davy Arnaud told DCist. “We were walking off the field, and he tried to say something but he didn’t have too much of a voice left. And probably with good reason.”
“I didn’t know what to say,” added a scratchy-voiced Olsen. “It was just one of those nights we’ll all remember. I don’t think I can talk.”
D.C. rode a pair of goals from Chris Rolfe and tallies from four other contributors to victory on Saturday, stretching their lead in the east and leaving them in sole possession of the Supporters’ Shield lead as well. The ten goals scored in the encounter were the most scored in any Major League Soccer match, ever, at RFK stadium, and were part of a league-wide explosion of 36 goals that set a new record for the highest total scoring output on a single day.
Salt Lake didn’t have to wait long for their opener. In the second minute, Devon Sandoval collected a loose ball at the penalty spot, swiveling before finding fellow forward Sebastian Jaime several yards away; Jaime quickly laid a ball back for Joao Plata, who’s 19-yard far post effort eluded the outstretched arms of United ‘keeper Andrew Dykstra.
In the 22nd minute, RSL struck again. Midfielder Javier Morales picked out Jaime in the box with a free kick. Jaime nodded the ball on towards Plata, who touched it onwards towards Kyle Beckerman. The U.S. national team midfielder’s goal was sensational, a 25-yard, right-footed attempt that swerved past Dykstra and into the side netting.
After giving up a pair of goals in the opening four minutes against Philly last week, United had done it again, digging themselves into a pit mid-way through the first half.
“At 2-0 I was [like], ‘Maybe this is the game that’s gonna teach us a lesson,’” Olsen said in his post-game press conference. “Thankfully it wasn’t. Again, we’ll address it. We talked about it all week, the [way we start games]. I know the energy to start the game—they understood the importance of the start. But it still happens. We’ll keep addressing it but it wasn’t for lack of the guys wanting to start well. That part is something we all need to figure out together.”
Just before halftime, Rolfe gave United a lifeline. In the 43rd minute, RSL defender Tony Beltran collected a loose ball in the area, turning in an attempt to dribble it out of danger. Rolfe met him quickly and did well to strip Beltran of the ball; the former Fire midfielder took a couple of deft touches away from goal before curling his attempt from 14 yards out just inside the far post for United’s first goal.
And just after the whistle, United would get their equalizer. Bobby Boswell found himself hauled down in the area by Sandoval, and Rolfe stepped up to take the ensuing penalty, confidently striking it just inside the upper 90 and into goal.
This is when the madness truly started. Just moments later, in the 59th minute, United defender Taylor Kemp hit an absolute screamer to give United the lead, running onto a loose ball and smashing a swerving, left-footed attempt into the upper 90.
Three minutes later, a Morales free kick would find the noggin of RSL defender Aaron Maund, equalizing the match at 3.
A minute later, D.C. climbed ahead once again, courtesy of a scrappy Fabian Espindola tally; and five minutes later, RSL’s Abdoulie Mansally earned another equalizer for RSL, his smash from about seven yards out tying things up at 4-4.
United, it would seem, had had enough. In the 79th minute, Espindola bent a picture-perfect cross into the area, one which D.C. midfielder Perry Kitchen converted with ease. At 5-4, RFK was a madhouse. What happened next created bedlam.
In the 85th minute, D.C. winger Nick Deleon collected a loose ball outside the area, took a couple of touches to his left and struck a 25-yard stunner across the box and into the far side netting, to seal the victory. Deleon charged across the field to celebrate with a group of fans and teammates on the near sideline, having iced the game and capped the scoring at 6-4:
The scene was difficult to describe. Rolfe himself may have done a pretty good job in his post-game comments.
“That was the craziest game I’ve ever been a part of, as a professional.”
