D.C. United's US Under-17 international Griffin Yow and other fellow academy and USL products registered standout performances as D.C. dropped a 5-2 result to Spain's Real Betis, which are coming off a victory at Real Madrid in their final La Liga match of the season.
Yow entered the match in the 32nd minute and immediately provided a spark for D.C., ultimately scoring his first goal for D.C. United right after the halftime break to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
Quincy Amarikwa, who played the full match at center forward, also scored a goal in the second half which brought DCU to within 3-2. He nodded home a rebound from close range after a teammate struck the crossbar with a bouncing header and the goal rewarded the MLS veteran for 90 minutes of fight, pressure and hard work.
However, a Marc Bartra penalty kick conversion after a hand ball by DC's Akeem Ward, and a silky finish by Real Betis substitute Robert rounded out the 5-2 scoreline.
But the highlight of the night was the return of D.C. right back Chris Odoi-Atsem, who played his first match for the MLS side since March 24, 2018 after a 15-month battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Goalkeeper Chris Seitz and center back Collin Verfurth made their debuts for D.C. and Chris McCann featured at center back for most of the second half after playing at defensive midfield in the opening half.
D.C. next travel to face the New England Revolution on Saturday night in Week 13 league action (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in USA; MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada).
Goals
- 16' - BET - Loren
- 37' - BET - Sergio Leon
- 47' - DC - Griffin Yow
- 64' - BET - Joaquin
- 69' - DC - Quincy Amarikwa
- 72' - BET - Marc Bartra (PK)
- 76' - BET - Robert
Lineups
D.C. United (4-2-3-1, left to right): Chris Seitz -- Akeem Ward, Collin Verfurth, Jalen Robinson (62' Shinya Kadono), Chris Odoi-Atsem (65' Allexon Saravia) -- Junior Moreno (46' Orlando Sinclair), Chris McCann -- Zoltan Stieber (62' Connor Presley), Paul Arriola (91' Omar Campos), Ulises Segura (32' Griffin Yow) -- Quincy Amarikwa
Real Betis (4-3-3, left to right): Pau Lopez (46' Joel Robles) -- Sidnei (68' Jose Calderon), Zouhair Feddal, Marc Bartra, Emerson (68' Francis) -- Javi Garcia (79' Abreu), Andres Guardado (59' Wilfrid Kaptoum), Joaquin (68' Robert) -- 11 Cristian Tello (79 ' Rodri Sanchez), 16 Loren (46' Raul Garcia), 7 Sergio Leon (46' Jese)
