D.C. United had luck on their side in a tight 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night, riding a first half own goal all the way to the full three points on the road.
The own goal came on a bit of miscommunication between Rapids defender Jared Watts and goalkeeper Tim Howard. Watts attempted a back pass from about 40 yards out, but didn't hit the ball where he wanted. The daisy-cutter ball was out of Howard's reach and proved enough for a victory. D.C.'s Bill Hamid was also a big contributor to the cause, with some spectacular diving saves.
Goals
- 27' - DC - Jared Watts (OG) Watch
Three Things
- ONE DROUGHT OVER: United pick up a victory for the first time since June 21st, even though the team remains goalless in the Paul Arriola era. The new D.C. Designated Player was active in the attack with two shots on target, including a point blank attempt that Howard was able to kick away. He also came through for three key passes and two successful dribbles in the final third.
- STILL UNLUCKY: The Rapids turned over a new leaf this week when they parted ways with Pablo Mastroeni and placed assistant coach Steve Cooke in charge of the team. This result isn't what the club would have hoped for, but with two shots clanking into the woodwork and some potential MLS Save of the Week candidates from Hamid, there's a silver lining to be found in the loss.
- HAMID CAN FLY: The importance of Hamid's play against the Rapids might feel overstated when noticing that Howard actually made more saves on the night. However, there wasn't a routinesave amongst the four Hamid made Saturday night, diving through the air on three and making a volleyball-style save on the other. The Rapids shot rockets at Hamid, but the United keeper was up to the challenge.
Next Up
- COL: Wednesday, August 23rd at Portland Timbers (10:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE)
- D.C.: Wednesday, August 23rd vs. Atlanta United FC (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE)
ExtraTime Live from CenturyLink Field!
Watch ExtraTime Live on Sunday at 8:30 PM ET. The guys will be on the ground in Seattle to lead you into the final match of the weekend with exclusive interviews and everything you need to know from Saturday night's action. Set a reminder to watch
