Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By RYAN TOLMICH

Just two games into their CONCACAF Champions League campaign, D.C. United are already well on their way to qualifying for the knockout stage.

D.C. United picked up a 2-1 win over Waterhouse FC Tuesday night in Jamaica, sweeping both legs against the Kingston-based squad. With the victory, D.C. sits tied atop the group with six points, leading by a tiebreaker over Waterhouse, which has already played all four of their games.

Ben Olsen’s side can now turn it’s focus back toward the final stretch of the MLS regular season as the only thing that could throw D.C. off course now would be an unlikely sweep by Panamanian minnows Tauro, which lost both of their games against Waterhouse.

Suspended for this weekend’s game against the Chicago Fire, Fabian Espindola led the way for D.C. United, bagging both goals on the evening for the MLS side.

Espindola opened scoring in spectacular fashion in the 38th minute. He made a darting run through the Waterhouse defense before finishing past goalkeeper Richard McCallum. The Argentine sprinted past three opposing defenders, collected the ball on the right side of the box and chipped it up up and over McCallum to give his side the 1-0 lead.

The D.C. United forward added a second in the 50th minute by finishing off a cross from Samuel Inkoom, who was making his debut. Inkoom, who joined the club just last week, played in a cross from the end line to find Espindola, who headed the ball home to double his side’s lead.

Waterhouse made things interesting in the 70th minute following the dismissal of D.C. United defender Taylor Kemp for a pair of cautions. Waterhouse’s Hughan Gray buried a free kick immediately following Kemp’s foul, pushing the scoreline to 2-1, where it remained until the final whistle.

D.C. United take on Tauro in Panama next Wednesday at RFK Stadium before heading to Panama to complete the group on Oct. 21.

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What did you think about D.C. United’s win down in Jamaica? How will it benefit D.C. during the closing stretch of the MLS season?

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