FC Dallas were once again kept winless at their new Pizza Hut Park home, D.C. United getting a goal in each half to walk away with a controversial 2-1 victory.
Facundo Erpen scored his first MLS goal in the first half to give United the lead, then Santino Quaranta scored a highly contested second goal before Ramon Nuñez hit with a long-range bomb just before the final whistle.
FCD head coach Colin Clarke made wholesale changes to his team in an attempt to shake off their nine-game league winless streak, and to get a first victory in three games at Pizza Hut Park. Clarke made five changes to the lineup from a week ago against San Jose.
The biggest surprise was the absence of Eddie Johnson and Carlos Ruiz from the lineup - Ruiz especially as he had scored four of the five goals for the Hoops at Pizza Hut Park.
The defending MLS champion was more lively and hungry for the ball from the outset. That intensity got to Dallas as Mark Wilson and Ronnie O'Brien both picked up early yellow cards in the first 16 minutes of play.
Erpen -- D.C.'s recent Argentinian signing -- scored his first MLS goal in the 15th minute as he got on to the end of a corner with a wild, lunging side volley. He drove the ball down into the turf with his left foot, Scott Garlick unable to reach the ball as it bounced up into the top of the goal.
United made a surprising change of their own, coach Peter Nowak keeping Quaranta on the bench while starting Jamil Walker. But he was a handful from the start, getting loose from FCD center back Clarence Goodson several times in the box.
The Hoops struggled through the first half, getting just one shot on goal compared to four for D.C. United. D.C. 'keeper Nick Rimando was up to the task on the one effort on goal, coming in the 43rd minute as Bobby Rhine sent in a hard shot that Rimando got a hand to and was able to bring it down in the same motion.
After the break, FC Dallas had the better of the early stretches and looked more dangerous, but the play of Rimando trumped the improvement from the home side.
In the 53rd minute Rimando's backline kept his shutout alive after Wilson found Nuñez streaking down the left sideline where he sent in a solid shot that trickled through to the goal line. Rhine made a mad charge at the ball and nearly pushed it over, only to have it cleared off the line by Brian Carroll.
Clarke brought on Ruiz and Johnson at the 62nd minute, but instead United extended the lead in the 71st minute. Rimando struck a great clearance down the left touchline which found Walker in full stride where he easily beat Rhine in a foot race. He drove a low cross to Quaranta at the far post who easily turned the ball home.
But much like a goal the Hoops gave up against San Jose -- where hesitation over an expected offside call caused confusion in the defense -- the FCD defense was again caught short. Goodson was down injured and the FCD defense thought the ball was being played out in a display of sportsmanship by Rimando when it was actually a live ball.
Quaranta continued to break down the Hoops defense in the 82nd minute as he nearly found Christian Gomez with a cross to the back post which was broken up.
Nuñez cut the lead in half in the 87th minute as he made a great run up midfield past two United defenders to set up a wickedly dipping and powerful right-footed strike at full pace that sailed over a well-beaten Rimando, but the Hoops could get no closer.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Facundo Erpen (D.C. United)
Scott Joiner is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
