The number 108 currently has a very special significance in the Major League Soccer record books. But for Jaime Moreno, it was less important than the number two -- as in, D.C. United 2, Toronto FC 1.
It was Moreno who scored the second goal of the day for D.C. United that gave his club the win against Toronto FC on Saturday at BMO Field. The forward's penalty-kick strike in the 79th minute was the 108th league goal of his career, which ties Moreno with Jason Kreis for the all-time MLS career mark.
In Moreno's opinion, his personal achievement was incidental.
"It's nice, but I feel it's better with the win," Moreno said. "It's what we came for."
Wins were hard to come by for D.C earlier in the season. The club struggled out of the gate with an 0-3 record. The defeats came on the heels of a loss to Mexican side CD Guadalajara in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup before the league campaign began.
Moreno felt his team wasn't mentally over the Champions' Cup defeat when the season began.
"That was a disappointment but we won't look for excuses," Moreno said. "I think we just weren't prepared. Our heads were somewhere else and it was hard to get back. Luckily, I think we got it back and we have to play the same way."
Since their 0-3 start, D.C. has gone 2-0-1. Saturday's win allowed the Black-and-Red to leapfrog Toronto out of the Eastern Division basement and tie D.C. with Columbus for fifth place.
The Toronto game was as much of a rebound as D.C.'s season thus far. After the first half, United trailed 1-0 and were scuffling on offense with only one shot. But United managed seven shots in the second half and controlled the pace of play.
United coach Tom Soehn said Saturday's game was a sign that his team is building momentum.
"I think the mentality is better," Soehn said. "I was disappointed in the first half, but to come back in the second half and show the energy we did ... we're heading in the right direction."
Moreno said that one of the major differences for D.C. over the last three games was an increase in self-confidence.
"We've tried to do things simpler and believe in ourselves," he said. "That's one thing we have to do. We have to have that belief that the work we're putting in will pay off."
Saturday's game was United's most physical of the 2007 campaign. D.C. committed 18 fouls and suffered 20 , both season highs for the club.
One foul in particular was the turning point in the game. United forward Luciano Emilio was ruled to have been pulled down in the penalty area by referee Baldomero Toledo, which led to Moreno's penalty kick for the go-ahead goal.
Several Toronto FC players disagreed with the call and many of the fans at BMO Field booed Emilio for what they felt was a dive. Emilio insisted there was nothing exaggerated about his fall.
"He got my support leg, the leg I was standing on," Emilio said. "I went down because I had a good opportunity to shoot it, except because he held me back I wasn't able to get to the ball."
D.C. will look to continue their winning streak on Saturday, when they play host to defending MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo. But the fans at RFK Stadium might miss out on their chance to see history --- Moreno is missing the match to play for his native Bolivia in a friendly against Ireland. The striker figures to return for United's game in Los Angeles against the Galaxy on June 2.
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
