Two teams in need of a win met at RFK on Saturday. The New England Revolution had drawn their previous two games, while DC United were trying to get back into the win column after their 1-0 home defeat to Toronto. United also had to attempt to do this without their coach Ben Olsen, who was serving a one match ban for entering the field of play in the Toronto game to retrieve a rogue ball. With Chad Ashton stepping in as caretaker for this game, leading an unchanged side from the Toronto loss.
The first 30 minutes of the game were back and forth, with both teams pushing forward, thrusting and parrying, looking for the opening that would allow them to take the lead. The Revolution's Lee Nguyen was involved in most of their attacks.
Which were snuffed out by Bobby Boswell, and the rest of the defense
With only a few making their way to Travis Worra in goal, who let nothing through (with the aid of the crossbar on one attack in the 5th minute).
On the United side, attacks from Lamar Neagle and Fabian Espindola...
...Chris Rolfe...
...Taylor Kemp...
...Patrick Nyarko...
...and Marcelino tested the New England defense.
Which dove into every tackle with vigor.
...up until the 32nd minute when a tackle on Neagle resulted in a penalty being awarded, which Neagle himself tucked into the back of the net to give United the lead.
The back and forth between the two teams continued, with Espindola driving down both wings
...up until an injury took him out of the game in the 44th minute. to be replaced by Alvaro Saborio.
The second half began as competitively as the first, with both teams challenging for the ball
...and attacking through Rolfe
...Saborio
...Luciano Acosta
...Kelyn Rowe
...and Gershon Koffie.
Then, in the 86th minute a sublime looping ball from Acosta doubled United's lead.
From that point, it was all United
Then in the last minute of regular time the ball looped over the New England keeper, perfectly for Saborio
..who slid it into the back of the net to give United a 3-0 win
Leaving Ashton standing tall, and New England contemplating how they could kick start their season
