D.C. United all but assured passage to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup on Wednesday evening thanks to a comprehensive and thorough 4-1 victory against a CD Olimpia team that was mostly unknown to its home fans.
Two goals from Christian Gomez, one from Facundo Erpen and one from Luciano Emilio - making his return to the club where he was a star - finished off Olimpia.
A strong performance in all departments allowed United to come away with a lethal, clear and very consistent result. And it started from early in the contest, as the MLS side showed nothing like a team that has recently started its preseason training, against an insipid Olimpia team, unrecognizable in its home stadium in the Honduras capital.
Emilio started with his first run down the left, like a bad omen for the home side, as the Olimpia defense would be turned around. He found Moreno on the right, and although he couldn't get past goalkeeper Ricardo James, he found Gomez in the middle, but his shot hit an Olimpia defender at close range. Only eight minutes had passed.
Olimpia looked to respond after 15 minutes through a cross from Maynor Figueroa that Wilmer Velasquez couldn't chase down, allowing an opportune clearance from Bryan Namoff. D.C. looked more organized defensively, while allowing Olimpia to hold the initiative. Minutes passed without the compact United scheme being troubled much at all, with the unproductive short passes of Olimpia in front of it.
A product of coming into the game with no sign of nerves at all, D.C. went ahead with a gem of a goal thanks to the refined right foot of Gomez. Olimpia lost the ball in the 29th minute and Gomez - just outside the corner of the area on the left - curled a stunning, precise strike high into the opposite corner past James.
Olimpia rapidly leveled terms in the 34th minute, converting a free kick that was claimed by Wilfredo Barahona on the left flank after a half-clearance. He put in a cross that found Juan Manuel Carcamo, who powerfully headed home from close range.
Just before the end of the half, Emilio silenced the Estadio Nacional crowd. Josh Gros chased down a pass in the left corner and drove a low cross into the heart of the area where Emilio ran onto it before flicking past James with a sublime backheel off the inside of his left boot. After a minute of funereal silence and the attitude of Emilio - who did not celebrate effusively - the crowd applauded its former star.
After the break, United began to pass the ball to better effect and returned to the coolness they have shown in MLS and a strength they are known for, once again through the feet of Gomez, who made it 3-1 in the 60th minute.
Last year's MLS Most Valuable player cleanly beat a defender and hit a fierce drive that sailed inside the right-hand post of James.
Up by two goals, D.C. started to kill off the game, putting the ball and Olimpia into the deep freeze to maintain their advantage into next week's return match, showing the serenity of the great champions.
Then, seven minutes from the end, Erpen provided the exclamation point, rising up to meet a corner kick and head past James inside the right-hand post, a result that provided the impetus for the crowd to begin to head for the exits well before the end of the match.
The return match is set for March 1 at RFK Stadium in Washington, and D.C. United need only to avoid losing by more than two goals to ensure a berth in the final four of the continental club championship.
Edwin Cerrato is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
