D.C. United scored three goals in the final 19 minutes -- bracketing a weather delay of nearly a half-hour -- as the Black-and-Red stormed to a 4-1 victory against the Colorado Rapids on in the MLS Primetime Thursday showcase at RFK Stadium.
Jacob Peterson had given the Rapids an early lead, but Christian Gomez pulled United level from the penalty spot before the first half was out. Then goals from Nicholas Addlery, Fred and Luciano Emilio eased United home to a sixth victory in their last nine games while consigning the Rapids to their fifth consecutive defeat.
With three key starters missing on Copa America duty and Bryan Namoff sidelined by a hamstring injury, United coach Tom Soehn rejiggered his lineup with Devon McTavish and Clyde Simms joining Josh Gros and Facundo Erpen along the back line - though surprisingly, it was Simms, rather than McTavish, who took up Bobby Boswell's center back spot. Up front, Guy-Roland Kpene flanked Luciano Emilio while Justin Moose came into the midfield for Ben Olsen.
The Rapids were missing two starters of their own -- forward Herculez Gomez and midfielder Kyle Beckerman -- to Copa America duty, while defender Ugo Ihemelu was suspended. But captain Pablo Mastroeni was welcomed back from U.S. national team responsibilities to a a new-look midfield that featured first-time starters Daniel Wasson and Colin Clark.
However, just 12 minutes into the match, the home side were forced into an early substitution when Kpene dropped to the turf with a sprained left hamstring, to be replaced by one-time Jamaican youth international Addlery.
In the 18th minute, Moose was whistled for a dangerous slide tackle near midfield, allowing Greg Vanney to loft a ball to the top of the D.C. box that Hernandez flicked on as Peterson slipped in behind the defense with a timely run. But with the goal at his mercy, the Indiana University product was denied by a fine reaction save by Perkins at close range.
Colorado was in the ascendancy now, but the hosts did not heed the warnings and were punished just moments later as Terry Cooke found Peterson with an outstanding delivery to give their team the lead. Colin Clark's booming switch found Cooke as he motored down the right channel, and the Englishman did well to whip a left-footed cross to the penalty spot, where Peterson snapped a header over Perkins' dive and into the upper left corner of the net.
As the half-hour mark approached, it was Colorado's turn to make an early change after Mike Petke took Addlery's boot to his lower leg on a challenge. The former United defender gave way for Chris Wingert and was thought to have sustained a broken ankle.
A strange play unraveled in the 33rd minute after Simms, who by now had switched spots with McTavish to take up the right back position, sent a cross into the Rapids box.
Emilio beat Vanney to the delivery and the veteran left back fell to the turf, then seemingly contorted his body to poke at the ball from a prone position, first with his hand, then his right foot. Addlery was first to the loose ball and looked to have wasted a great chance when a slapped his shot just wide of the left post, but when referee Alex Prus reached the scene he pointed to the penalty spot, having blown for a handball on Vanney.
With Jaime Moreno absent, Gomez stepped up to take the spot kick and made no mistake, drilling his effort past Coundoul into the left inside netting to level matters at 1-1.
The Rapids were having some success with Route One football and Peterson nearly got his second as halftime approached, when he latched onto a long ball only to see his left-footer skim wide of the target. Then Hernandez turned with the ball and found himself in space after the second-half restart, but he lashed his effort wide of Perkins' goal.
Despite the muggy summer heat, both sides were racing from end to end in search of the go-ahead goal and there was no shortage of chances. Taking possession in the center circle as United looked to counterattack, Addlery embarked on a driving solo run that took him past five Rapids defenders, but with two teammates racing into the box he elected to blast a shot well high and wide.
The big Jamaican got his reward not long after, outmuscling defender Brandon Prideaux to meet Fred's corner kick and plant a firm header past Coundoul. The finish gave Addlery his first MLS goal and handed his team a 2-1 lead as a light but steady rain began to fall on East Capitol Street.
The game was pulsating now: first United came close to a vital insurance goal when Moose broke free down the right, only to see a strong first touch allow Coundoul to come out and smother the ball at his feet. Then action switched the other way as Peterson drove to the D.C. endline and cut a low ball across the face of goal - barely eluding Hernandez on the doorstep and squirting into open space between Cooke and Perkins, but the United 'keeper sprinted out and courageously threw himself at the Rapids winger's feet, batting the ball away.
But just as the match approached full boil, Mother Nature intervened with a steady drumbeat of thunder and lightning that prompted Prus and his assistants to suspend play and wait for the lightning to pass.
After a 28-minute delay, play resumed. Colorado coach Fernando Clavijo used the break to insert the attacking threat of Panamanian international Roberto Brown up top. But it was Clark who came ever so close to netting a highlight-reel strike for the equalizer in the 80th minute, flicking the ball behind his body to his left and blasting a high drive that bulleted just wide of the upper left corner.
The home side found net first, however, as Fred notched his first MLS goal to hand United an imposing lead eight minutes from full time. Seeing Addlery posted up at the top of the Rapids box, he played a quick pass from the left touchline then ran onto Addlery's return layoff in the box before rolling a low finish past Coundoul on the right.
With Colorado desperately pushing forward as time ticked away, United took advantage of the extra space to counterattack and duly scored a fourth in the 87th minute, as Gomez slid a through ball into the path of Emilio's run and the Brazilian carried into the box before placing his shot into the far inside netting to put the final touch on a 4-1 victory.
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
