span of 11 games. The Columbus Crew also had a good unbeaten run going - four games - though all were draws.
United once again got the game's first goal, through Alecko Eskandarian in the 42nd minute. Back in the lineup after missing five potential starts to injury, Eskandarian stepped over a free kick some 28 yards from goal and hammered a wicked drive through a hole left by just-departed teammates, leaving Noah Palmer no chance in the Crew goal.
Eskandarian then turned villain, sent off for a shoulder charge on Marcos Gonzalez after the whistle had blown while trying to keep a free kick taken, but United survived the final 25 minutes a man down to extend their winning streak.
D.C. UNITED
D.C. United won for the fifth game in a row, extending their unbeaten run to 12 games, and now have 41 points from 18 matches, 17 ahead of the New England Revolution in the East and 11 better than FC Dallas in the MLS overall table.
United head coach Peter Nowak made changes to his team for the first time in four games, Ben Olsen returning to the lineup in midfield and Alecko Eskandarian in attack, as Christian Gomez and Devon McTavish were given the night off.
Here's Nowak's team (3-5-2): Troy Perkins - Bryan Namoff, Bobby Boswell, Facundo Erpen - Joshua Gros, Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen (Christian Gomez 58), Clyde Simms, Freddy Adu (John Wilson 70) - Alecko Eskandarian, Jaime Moreno (Santino Quaranta 81). [Substitutes Not Used: Jeff Carroll, Devon McTavish, Domenic Mediate, Nick Rimando]
United have managed to win five of their last eight matches by a score of 1-0. "We won all these games with determination. We score one goal and then we fight and we run and we try not to make any mistakes. Our attitudes and approach [haven't] changed a minute from the first week. Winning never gets old," Nowak said.
While Nowak was pleased to have Eskandarian back, he wasn't as happy with his sending off, which will put him out of the rematch against Columbus.
"He knows it was not the play I was looking forward," the United boss said. "I'm all about discipline and you cannot carry the team that way - especially only winning 1-0."
Eskandarian also knew he had made a mistake. The United forward made his second appearance and first start since June 11, when he suffered an injury to his left knee and was sidelined for four games.
"I apologized to every guy in this locker room and my coaches because I let my team down. They had to play a man down. I think it was a yellow card. It was a stupid call on my part. I was stopping the play, which I have probably done a hundred times before and ... gotten yellow card[s]. I don't know why I received a red card for it - I'd really like an explanation. He whacked me in the back of the ankle. I just gave him a little nudge so he couldn't start the game fast. That's a yellow card - it's in the rules."
And for the seventh time in 18 games this season, United made sure that only one goal would be needed, again keeping a clean sheet.
"We scored a good goal, played defense, bunkered down a little bit and tried to keep the ball as much as we could," said goalkeeper Troy Perkins. "Overall, I did what I had to do. When they thump balls into the box, that's what I'm there for. The defense did well in making them play those kind of balls into me."
United posted an impressive win at midweek, rolling over Scottish Premier League side Celtic FC 4-0 in a friendly. Christian Gomez sent Freddy Adu in alone on goal, and he put United ahead midway through the first half. It was all D.C. after the break: Jamil Walker scored in the 57th minute, then after Celtic had a player sent off, Bobby Boswell headed home the ensuing free kick. Then 12 minutes from time Andy Metcalf rounded out the scoring, finishing off a neat combination with Matt Nickell.
COLUMBUS CREW
The Crew saw their four-game unbeaten streak ended with the loss. They are still in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 18 points from 17 matches, still four ahead of the New York Red Bulls and two behind the third-place tie between the Chicago Fire and Kansas City Wizards.
Crew head coach Sigi Schmid made four changes to the team that played to a 1-1 draw with Houston Dynamo on July 4. Marcos Gonzalez came into the back, while Tim Ward reprised his wingback role and Leonard Bisaku came back into the center of midfield. Jacob Thomas also returned from injury and made a start in attack. Chris Leitch, Ricardo Virtuoso, Brandon Moss and Kei Kamara returned to the substitutes' bench.
Here's Schmid's team (3-4-2-1): Noah Palmer - Marcos Gonzalez, Ritchie Kotschau, Chad Marshall - Ezra Hendrickson, Leonard Bisaku (Brandon Moss 63), Jose Retiz (Sebastian Rozental 81), Tim Ward - Eddie Gaven (Knox Cameron 73), Joseph Ngwenya - Jacob Thomas. [Substitutes Not Used: Dominik Jakubek, Kei Kamara, Chris Leitch, Eric Vasquez]
"I thought in the second half we brought some energy. But why does it take a goal? Why does it take people getting red cards and people beating us up before we find the energy to play? Right now I'm embarrassed. I'm embarrassed for the city of Columbus. That's not the kind of team I want to put out there on the field," Schmid said.
The shutout left the Crew with no goals from the run of play in the last three matches. The lone goal came from a penalty kick by Eddie Gaven against Houston Dynamo. The Black and Gold have only three tallies in its last seven matches - and Schmid is looking for a poacher.
"(Kei) Kamara had opportunities. Jason Garey has been in and out of the lineup through injuries. Joseph Ngwenya has had opportunities up front. Eddie Gaven has played some up front. Jacob Thomas is now starting to get the opportunities and is the one who deserves some more. Knox (Cameron) has had opportunities in games," said Schmid.
But although Schmid knew the rebuilding process would be difficult - from a team that won the MLS Supporters' Shield two years ago to failing to make the MLS Cup Playoffs last year - he isn't willing to accept where the Crew currently stand, in third place in the East.
"We have to do better. We can't keep blaming it on our youth and we can't keep saying we have injuries. It's a reality - we have injuries. It's a fact we are very young. By the same token, we have to find a way to get it done," he said. " ... "I feel there's more talent here than we've shown. Sure, we're playing the best team in the league. It's a team that's only lost one game. You can't be that disappointed. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. Right now we're not lucky, so I have to look at the preparation part and they have to look at the opportunity part."
On Wednesday, the Crew defeated the Michigan Bucks of the PDL (fourth tier) in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup 4-1. Ezra Hendrickson gave the Crew a 16th-minute lead, but the amateur side equalized just six minutes later through Doug Rice. Ivan Becerra put the Crew in front for good just before the hour mark; a Jacob Thomas long-range effort and an own goal rounded out the scoreline.
Here's Schmid's lineup: Noah Palmer; Marcos Gonzalez, Ezra Hendrickson (Ritchie Kotschau 61), Chris Leitch (Chad Marshall 61); Tim Ward, Ivan Becerra, Brandon Moss, Sebastian Rozental, Eric Vasquez; Knox Cameron (Kei Kamara 79), Eddie Gaven (Jacob Thomas 71)
The Crew will now take on D.C. United in the fourth round of the Open Cup, the game to be played Aug. 1 at the Maryland Soccerplex in Germantown, Md.
