On a night when D.C. United celebrated the inaugural 1996 MLS Cup champion team, a remarkable second half saw five goals and United reduced to 10 men before hanging on for a 4-3 victory against the New York Red Bulls that ensures they will have home-field advantage throughout this year's MLS Cup Playoffs.
An own goal and a penalty left the teams level at the half, but after Christian Gomez put United ahead, Facundo Erpen was sent off seconds later. The teams then traded goals over the final 17 minutes, Jaime Moreno and Matias Donnet scoring for United, answered each time by Amado Guevara and Jozy Altidore respectively, but United hung on for their second victory since mid-July.
With the pre-match celebrations, it was a fired-up home side that drew first blood after just nine minutes, thanks to a Carlos Mendes own goal, as the New York defender was victimized by yet another classic set piece delivery from Gomez.
After Ben Olsen drew a foul near the top right corner of the Red Bulls' penalty area, everyone in the stadium knew the Argentinian would be whipping one of his trademark inswingers into the heart of the box. Even still, the dipping serve was of such quality that Mendes clipped it past Red Bulls goalkeeper Tony Meola.
But if the Red Bulls considered themselves unlucky on that play, it was more than offset by a startling stroke of good fortune in the 18th minute. When Djorkaeff's corner floated across the United box to Seth Stammler, the New York midfielder drove a shot straight into Erpen as the defender moved in to close him down and referee Kevin Stott, perfectly positioned just yards away, barely hesitated before pointing to the spot.
After a grimacing Erpen shook off the knock he received on the play, Guevara stepped up and slotted the penalty kick past Perkins to level matters.
United were displaying little of the buzzing, high-pressure style they normally employ to such good effect at RFK, largely sitting back and allowing New York to string together good spells of possession. The visitors' typical creative tandom of Djorkaeff and Guevara was clearly benefiting from the presence of Austrian midfielder Markus Schopp as the three veterans crisply marshaled their side's attack.
Wolyniec had Perkins beat with a low, skipping effort from distance just short of the half-hour mark, but the D.C. netminder was rescued by the woodwork as the shot banged off the base of his left post.
United should have regained their lead in the 38th minute after Rod Dyachenko nicked possession from Marvell Wynne deep in the Bulls box and laid a tantalizing pass back to the top of the area. Adu raced forward but hammered the ball off the top of the crossbar.
As the second half began, D.C. were still struggling to find the cutting edge they needed, but Gomez's set pieces continued to menace the visitors. After Danny O'Rourke was carded for yanking his jersey 20 yards out from goal, the South American nearly caught Meola napping with a booming free kick that skimmed just over the bar in the 51st minute.
The home fans stirred expectantly as Moreno came on in place of Dyachenko in the 57th minute, and that buzz turned into a tremendous roar within minutes as the striker made an immediate impact.
With his back to goal, Moreno played a delightful give-and-go with Gomez on the hour mark to release the playmaker behind the Bulls back line, and Gomez made no mistake with a cheeky finish between the advancing Meola's legs for a 2-1 advantage.
But barely a minute later, Erpen's shocking loss of discipline left his side a man down for the remainder of the match. The D.C. right back was visibly angry about a run-in with Wolyniec in the 61st minute, remonstrating with Stott before turning away, then inexplicably elbowing the New York striker and stomping on his foot as they walked away, earning a straight red card.
Yet even shorthanded, the magic of Moreno and Gomez burned the Red Bulls yet again in the 73rd minute as the duo linked up to spring Olsen right up the middle of the park, and despite having Meola at his mercy the U.S. international smartly and selflessly squared for the trailing Moreno to slot home his 105th career MLS goal.
Perkins came up big to deny late substitute Altidore after a Red Bulls counterattack caught United with numbers forward, the rangy 'keeper extending his leg to deflect the teenager's hard low shot to safety.
But New York's flickering hopes got a major boost when Stott whistled Olsen for a foul on the edge of the box, allowing Guevara to swing a viciously swerving free kick over the United wall and into the upper corner of the net. Perkins desperately threw himself to his left and got a hand to the shot, but could not keep it out of the net.
However, D.C. produced yet another wonder goal one minute from full time, this time courtesy of their most recent Argentinian acquisition, Donnet. Drifting in from the right flank, the former Boca Juniors standout took possession from Moreno and found ample space 25 yards out from goal, before uncorking a knuckling blast with movement that befuddled Meola as it flew past the experienced goalkeeper for his first-ever MLS goal.
Yet the evening's fireworks were still not over as Guevara ran at the D.C. back line 90 seconds into injury time and poked a well-weighted through ball into the box for Altidore to stroke past Perkins, again pulling the Bulls within one goal -- but Stott's final whistle came before they could conjure any more last-second heroics.
The 4-3 victory ensured that United would keep possession of the Atlantic Cup for another year, while New York fell two points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with just three matches to play.
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
