who was making his United debut after being acquired from RSL in the offseason -- before finishing with aplomb.
• A year ago Real snatched a 2-1 victory against United with two penalty kick goals after the 90th minute, and United brought back those memories when Luciano Emilio scored in the 87th minute. A cross wasn't dealt with and bounced around the goalmouth before Fred poked it to Emilio to prod home from close range for his fourth goal in three games, but that was as close as D.C. got.
• Here's Kreis's team (4-1-3-2): Nick Rimando - Jean-Martial Kipre, Eddie Pope, Jack Stewart (Daniel Torres 46), Ritchie Kotschau - Atiba Harris - Carey Talley, Andy Williams, Mehdi Ballouchy - Robbie Findley (Jamie Watson 73), Alecko Eskandarian (Kyle Brown 84). Substitutes Not Used: Nikolas Besagno, Kenny Cutler, Chris Lancos, Kyle Reynish
• Here's Soehn's team (4-3-1-2): Jay Nolly - Bryan Namoff (Nicholas Addlery 79), Bobby Boswell, Facundo Erpen (Clyde Simms 59), Joshua Gros - Fred, Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen - Christian Gomez - Luciano Emilio, Rod Dyachenko (Guy-Roland Kpene 44). Substitutes Not Used: Marc Burch, Devon McTavish, Justin Moose, Troy Perkins
D.C. UNITED
D.C. United returned home and returned to their winning ways, running their league unbeaten streak to eight games with a come-from-behind 4-2 win against the New England Revolution on Sunday afternoon. United have 46 points from 24 games, now four points ahead of New England in the Eastern Conference and MLS overall standings, and can become the first team to clinch a playoff spot with a point against RSL.
LAST MATCH
• The teams came in separated by just a single point in not only the Eastern Conference standings but also the MLS overall table. United hadn't lost since July 22, lengthening their unbeaten streak on Thursday, while the Revolution were coming off a two-week layoff after winning for a second match in a row, Aug. 25 vs. New York.
• United took the lead in a highly contested affair in the 31st minute. Jaime Moreno spied Fred slipping in behind the Revolution back line, and curled a pass over the top for the Brazilian to run onto. Despite a hint of offside, Fred brought the ball down before lashing home for his seventh goal, and fourth in the last six games.
• But the Revolution pulled ahead with goals on either side of halftime. First, Khano Smith sent in a cross from the left corner that Taylor Twellman masterfully chested down before ripping home a left-footed drive from the heart of the area for his fourth goal in the last five games. Then nine minutes into the second half, Jay Heaps provided the final touch of a corner kick that bobbled on the line under Troy Perkins as he and a United defender desperately sought to keep it out.
• Yet United came storming back. On a day that Moreno was honored in a pregame ceremony for taking over the league's all-time goalscoring lead, he came through. He latched onto a deflection of his own shot in the area before delicately chipping over Matt Reis for career goal No. 110 in the 59th minute.
• Then Emilio salted the game away. He was given credit for the game-winner when Christian Gomez's shot from outside the area deflected off Emilio's left foot and went the other way past Matt Reis (67). But there was no question about his second: Brian Carroll made a storming run down the left flank and whipped in a cross for Emilio, who came running in at the near post and nodded home for his league-leading 18th goal on the campaign.
• United head coach Tom Soehn made two changes to the team that played to a 2-2 draw with Chivas USA three days earlier. Devon McTavish came into central defense in place of Bobby Boswell, while Josh Gros returned from injury into the midfield for Ben Olsen.
• Here's Soehn's team (4-3-1-2): Troy Perkins - Bryan Namoff, Devon McTavish, Greg Vanney, Marc Burch - Joshua Gros, Clyde Simms (Brian Carroll 69), Fred (Ben Olsen 61) - Christian Gomez (Bobby Boswell 77) - Luciano Emilio, Jaime Moreno. Substitutes Not Used: Rod Dyachenko, Guy-Roland Kpene, Domenic Mediate, Jay Nolly
• "We injected a little energy. We've had a lot of games and a lot of travel, and I knew at some point it would affect people. Fred ran out of gas. Fred put a lot of energy in the last three games, but we had guys we could put in who were fresh, and that was a big, important step," Soehn said. "I give our team a lot of credit in a lot of ways, because they are resilient. They've been through a hard schedule and getting up for games. I've pushed them pretty hard through this stretch and they responded."
TEAM NEWS
• A year ago, there was some talk that United faded down the stretch as fatigue began to set in. This year, Soehn has employed more of a rotation system, and United has been rolling over the second half.
• "We still have a long way to go. We always have a lot of new guys in the picture. You know, the system stays the same, but the pieces change and they keep everybody fresh. I think the three substitutions we made impacted the game today. We were able to bring seasoned veterans in, and a lot of teams don't have that. We want to keep it going, but there are a lot more games to go."
• One key change against the Revolution was bringing Devon McTavish back into central defense. "We have to manage ourselves. Every three days we have a game, and we have to manage that. We have an open relationship and I tell all the guys," Soehn said. "Devon was fresh because he had some rest, and he was a great piece today because he was fresh."
• As well, Josh Gros was finally available after missing four games with a concussion. "Josh gives you everything he's got. He can open up the defense by stretching you. He works his keister off," Soehn said. "He's a guy we're happy to inject back in, and we're happy for his sake to get some games under his belt and to get his confidence, and to play all 90 minutes. I think he could have gone another 90 -- fitness is not an issue with him."
• Yet one player not given the day off was Moreno, despite not feeling well before the game. The Bolivian international was honored before the game with a video presentation marking his MLS record goals. "He had an IV [in] when I got into work today because he has been sick. I told him I'd inject him with a virus before every game," Soehn said. "He was fantastic today, showed a lot of composure. I've always said this: he makes our team better. He makes the guys around him better."
• On Monday, Moreno was called into the Bolivian national team for their match against Peru in Lima on Wednesday. Moreno has enjoyed with a renaissance with Bolivia this year, playing for his country in Copa America. He has 68 national team appearances with 11 goals. "I think Jaime is the face of the team, when he is on the field people respect us -- he is a leader and on the field he is a great player. Overall, I think that having Jaime on the team gives us the respect that without him we wouldn't get," said Emilio.
• Emilio is now within five goals of Raul Diaz Arce's club record set in the inaugural season of MLS. "I didn't know about the record, but if there is the possibility of breaking the record I will try -- [but] that is not my main concern. My focus is to play well for the team in order for the team to win," said Emilio. Soehn said: "A lot of his stuff he doesn't get credit for. Obviously he gets credit for the goals he scores. But the work he does -- making it hard to play against you, and he beats up backs. He's a workaholic. He's done a great job for us."
• D.C. United has also been one of the busiest teams in the league, and just once since the All-Star break they've had a week with only one game. That will end after the Real Salt Lake match, as the Black-and-Red have this weekend off.
• "We've had a hard stretch of games and we've injected guys in and out of the lineup and everybody has kept a really positive attitude. I think showing today when you have the ability to bring in Bobby and Brian Carroll and Benny Olsen into a game. Coaches have a luxury to be able to do that."
REAL SALT LAKE
Real Salt Lake saw their bid for a third consecutive put to an end but not without some drama, nearly coming back from a three-goal deficit before finally falling 4-3 to Houston Dynamo on Saturday evening at Robertson Stadium. Real have 18 points from 22 matches, still in fifth place in the Western Conference, a point ahead of the Los Angeles Galaxy and 11 points out of the final postseason spot.
LAST MATCH
• Houston Dynamo were looking to recover from a stretch that had seen them win just once in seven games, while Real Salt Lake were coming off back-to-back wins for the first time all season.
• It didn't take long for Jaqua and Dynamo to provide a preview of coming events. Corey Ashe picked up a loose ball on the left side of the area and drove in a low cross that Jaqua turned home after just six minutes. But Real pulled level in the 18th minute when Fabian Espindola claimed the ball after a challenge and, from almost on the byeline on the left, ripped a low drive off the inside of the far post for his second MLS goal.
• Yet just 10 minutes later Dynamo again took the lead. Richard Mulrooney served in a free kick from out on the left, and Eddie Robinson outleaped the RSL defense to nod home. Then three minutes after the second-half restart, Jaqua hit for his second in almost a carbon copy of his first, touching a rolling Ashe cross from the left past RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando.
• Jaqua completed his hat trick and put Dynamo up 4-1 in the 57th minute -- again assisted by Ashe. This time it was the aerial route, the rookie sending a high cross to the back post that Jaqua headed down for his sixth goal of the year, fifth since moving to Houston from the LA Galaxy.
• But Real weren't done. Javier Morales drove in a corner and Carey Talley nosed in front of Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad to head home in the 69th minute. Then RSL cut the lead to one in the 82nd minute when Kyle Brown latched onto a deflected shot in the Houston box and banged it home, but they could get no closer.
• RSL head coach Jason Kreis made one change to the team that defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 at The Home Depot Center the previous weekend. Robbie Findley came back into the team, replacing Chris Brown.
• Here's Kreis's team (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando - Jean-Martial Kipre, Matias Mantilla, Eddie Pope (Chris Wingert 53), Ritchie Kotschau - Kyle Beckerman, Carey Talley - Robbie Findley, Javier Morales, Fabian Espindola (Andy Williams 55) - Alecko Eskandarian (Kyle Brown 60),. Substitutes Not Used: Chris Lancos, Kyle Reynish, Jack Stewart, Jamie Watson
• "I think the guys came out with a good spirit, I think they were into the game. Maybe a little bit too much, though, because there were just too many technical breakdowns in the first half; we gave the ball away too easily," Kreis said. "Against a team like Houston, they're going to punish you. I thought we gave away too many silly free kicks and corner kicks, and they're going to punish you on those, too."
TEAM NEWS
• After having scored just two goals over a six-game stretch, with four shutouts, Real Salt Lake has now scored eight goals in their last three matches.
• "I wouldn't put any of the credit on me, really. I'd put the credit on the staff and the whole group, every person who's involved in the team," Kreis said. "That's something we've really been focused on: how we're going to score more goals. We realize that we haven't scored enough over the first three-quarters of the season, so we have been trying to figure out how we're going to get players forward and how we're going to get them forward quickly."
• Kreis was also pleased with the way that his team responded despite falling behind by three goals with a half-hour left to play.
• "I think the one thing we can take away from this game and feel good about is that our players showed a lot of character," Kreis said. "Going down 4-1 to get themselves back into that game with the chance to draw it at the end, I think that speaks volumes about the character of this group."
• Yet on the flip side, RSL allowed four goals in a game for the first time since a 4-0 loss to Chivas USA on April 21. They allowed more than two goals in a game just once since May 10.
• "I think it was more our bad. We weren't keeping the ball the way we can, so that was killing us," Kyle Beckerman said. "When we would keep the ball, we would get some good chances, and when we didn't they were making us pay. It's just something we could do better on next time." Said Kreis: "I couldn't speak too knowledgeably about [defense], so I tend not to, but there have got to be questions about why there are guys running completely free in the six-yard box on our goal."
• For Kyle Brown, his goal was his first as a professional. He began his career with the New England Revolution in 2006, moving to Real this season.
• "Definitely, even in training, I've been sharper in front of goal and concentrated more. I've been a lot more comfortable in front of the goal," he said. I went through a little period earlier on where I couldn't put the ball in the back of the net, but now I'm feeling confident, so that's good." Said Kreis: "I think [his improvement] is big. We've seen that his level keeps increasing and increasing. Whether it's in a training session or in a game, we think he's coming along really well. His experience is paying dividends."
