By AVI CREDITOR
WASHINGTON – Marco Pappa's second goal in as many weeks put the Chicago Fire in front in the 80th minute, and super-sub Brian McBride came through with an insurance tally nine minutes later, as Chicago defeated D.C. United 2-0 to secure its first win of the season.
Pappa received a clever back-heel touch from McBride just inside the top of the box and rifled home another in a series of late goals yielded by United.
McBride, a 76th-minute substitute for Collins John, made an immediate impact by putting a shot on frame upon his entrance into the game. Nine minutes after receiving a pass from Patrick Nyarko and deftly setting up Pappa for the game-winner, he headed home a long free kick from goalie Andrew Dykstra to finish off winless D.C. (0-4-0).
United, playing without its two starting centerbacks, did well to keep the Fire (1-2-1) off the scoreboard until yielding a go-ahead goal in the 80th minute for the third consecutive week.
Do you think Chicago is better off with McBride as a substitute? See any way that D.C. recovers from its awful start? Please share your thoughts about the match in the comments section below.