KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Birahim Diop couldn’t have wiped the smile off his face even if he tried.
Diop, who had just scored two crucial goals - the first of his brief MLS career - and added an assist in Kansas City’s 4-1 victory against New England, wasn't just happy. After months of little playing time and numerous injuries, Diop was simply overjoyed.
WATCH: Full Match Highlights
Surrounded by his teammates in the Wizard’s raucous postgame locker room, the 31-year-old Senegalese journeyman and emergency starter tried to put his performance into words.
“I needed this,” he said matter-of-factly.
So did the Wizards, who are now 3-1-2 in their last six games and rounding into form just in time to make a push for the playoffs.
With rookie starter Teal Bunbury suspended for his actions last week against San Jose and Josh Wolff hobbled by a knee injury, manager Peter Vermes turned to Diop, who was only a few weeks removed from suffering a concussion against Real Salt Lake.
“We really didn’t hesitate,” Vermes said. “We made the decision to put Diop up there right away. Thursday and Friday we trained both days with him in that position. We just felt like it was time for him to get a chance to be up there.”
Fortunately for everyone involved, Diop made the very best of that chance.
After blazing a wonderful scoring opportunity over the crossbar eight minutes into the match, Diop found the finishing touch that the Wizards have struggled with all season.
His first strike came in the 16th minute when teammate Kei Kamara lifted a ball over the top of the Revolution defense for the streaking Diop to run on to. Alone against New England goalkeeper Matt Reis, Diop displayed remarkable composure, sliding the ball inside the near post before sprinting to the Wizard’s bench to celebrate.
“I was a very happy, man,” Diop said. “When I got the first goal, it was what I needed for motivation to get another goal.”
And as quickly as the first came, so did the second. Once again Kamara hooked up with his fellow African, bending a cross to the back post where Diop simply outjumped Kevin Alston to head the ball past a diving Matt Reis.
And though the Revs added their own goal a few minutes later, Diop stayed on the field long enough to feed Kamara for the Wizards third. He came off the field to a round of applause from the fans.
“I was really happy for [Diop],” Wizards captain Davy Arnaud said. “He’s a great guy to have around. He’s good in the locker room. He works hard. What he got tonight was fully deserved.”
Not bad for a player who was playing in an amateur league on Sundays last year before catching Vermes’ eye in an invitation-only tryout before the season began.
And as happy as he was to break out against the Revs on Saturday, even Diop knew the larger implications his performance had on a team clawing to extend its season.
By earning three points, the Wizards refused to exit the playoff picture for at least a few more weeks with 10 regular games remaining to close the gap.
“It gets us back into the dance,” Vermes said. “We’re pushing the envelope a little bit.”
