DC United 4, Portland Timbers 1 | 2018 MLS Match Recap

Dylan Butler

Wayne Rooney bagged a brace to help lift D.C. United to a 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers at Audi Field Wednesday night.

The Timbers (10-5-7) took the lead in the 35th minute on Samuel Armenteros’ eighth goal of the season. Sebastian Blanco started the sequence by putting Russell Canouse on his back with a devastating cutback before slipping a pass to Andy Polo, who crossed to Armenteros for the tap-in.

D.C. United (6-9-6) leveled two minutes from halftime with Yamil Asad playing Rooney behind on a well-weighted pass and the Designated Player put his left-footed shot past the on-rushing Jeff Attinella and inside the far post for his second MLS goal.

The Black-and-Red took the lead on the other side of halftime as Luciano Acosta did all the hard work, taking on six different Timbers players before finding Oniel Fisher, who put his first MLS goal in off the far post in the 47th minute.

Two minutes after putting a chip off the crossbar, Rooney struck again, this time putting a screaming free kick from 26 yards out past Attinella to seal the win for D.C. United.

Darren Mattocks capped the win, finishing a counterattack in the first minute of second-half stoppage time.

Goals

35’ — POR — Samuel Armenteros | WATCH
43’ — DC — Wayne Rooney | WATCH
47’ — DC — Oniel Fisher | WATCH
68’ — DC — Wayne Rooney | WATCH
90’+1’ — DC — Darren Mattocks | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: Bill Hamid is back, the attack is buzzing and they’ve won three of their last four without defeat. Yeah, D.C. United is on a roll. After having a 15-match unbeaten streak snapped by Vancouver on the weekend, Portland has lost consecutive games for the first time since the first two games of the season.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH
: Rooney flashed a wry smile as Robert Sibiga lined up the Timbers wall. A few seconds later, almost everyone at Audi Field was smiling after this strike.

Just keep doing you, @WayneRooney. #DCvPOR pic.twitter.com/8QCLU4wM84
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 16, 2018

MAN OF THE MATCH: Goals change games and after coming up a close second for Man of the Match against Orlando City SC to Acosta, the hat trick hero, Rooney is the clear winner tonight for finishing his opportunities.