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Saborio winner lifts D.C. United past NYCFC

D.C. United beats NYCFC (USA TODAY Sports)

 

By SBI SOCCER

At halftime of Friday night’s sole MLS match, D.C. United sat in its RFK Stadium locker room having just played a terrible first half that offered little evidence the home team was planning on snapping its six-match winless run.

Something changed once D.C. United took the field for the second half. Ben Olsen’s side played with more purpose and more energy, and for the first time in two months, looked like the team that once sat in first place in the Eastern Conference.

D.C. United rallied with a pair of second-half goals, including a stoppage-time winner from Alvaro Saborio, to post a 2-1 victory over NYCFC.

The win all but eliminates NYCFC from playoff contention, while boosting D.C. United into a tie for first place in the East with the New York Red Bulls (which have three games in hand on D.C. United).

NYCFC started the match in dream fashion, with Frank Lampard bundling home a saved David Villa shot in the first minute.

NYCFC kept the the pressure on in the first half as D.C. United struggled to get going, but an insurance goal never came for Jason Kreis’ side.

D.C. made NYCFC pay for that in the 76th minute when Fabian Espindola slotted home a loose ball to tie the score.

D.C. United poured the pressure on in search of a winner and finally broke through in the second minute of stoppage time when Saborio pounced on a loose ball following a long Espindola free kick to notch the winning goal.

D.C. United returns to action on October 18 against the Chicago Fire. NYCFC returns to action on October 16 against Orlando City.

Comments

    • We talked about that during the game – much better than what I expected given what I had heard. Maybe some paint would help… It is also convenient during the rain to be able to be move back to the covered section during the break . A smaller fuller compact stadium might make moving around more difficult..Anyway I hope it is used and kept up after DC United move to their new stadium – or is there some other plan for it already?

      Reply
      • The city is studying that what happens to the grounds and old stadium, but no decision yet that I’ve heard. My guess is the stadium will sit around for a couple years, maybe hosting a concert or another event here and there, and eventually be torn down. There is interest in converting the grounds to an athletic field complex, building residential properties, etc.

  1. I should also mention that my friend was not at all a soccer fan before going to the game, but definitely a convert now. He’s looking forward to going to the DC vs Chicago Fire game.

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  2. Just moved to DC area from Louisville, and I went to the match last night with another friend recently moved from Louisville. The atmosphere at the stadium was great, and it is something you do not pick up watching it on your computer. This was despite the rain and wind and 50 degree weather. It will be interesting to see what the experience will be when they get their own stadium (or I should say when WE get OUR own stadium).

    Met some DC supporter group fans – one came down from PA and another was from England. Very good first impressions. The metro ride was great too.

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    • Been a DC supporter for a long time, and the area is wonderful for soccer. I really can’t wait for that stadium, the atmosphere will truly be electric. Terrific fans, unfortunate that it has taken this long to get a stadium, RFK is a gigantic dumpster at this point and many people just don’t want to make that extra effort to get over there.

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  3. NYCFC didn’t convert its chances in the first half and was undone by individual brain farts in the second (Saunders and even worse, jacobson’s assist to Saborio).

    DC showed some real fight to come back, although I wouldn’t put money on them going far in the playoffs.

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  4. NYCFC tried to defend for too large stretches of the game and eventually they paid for sitting back. That said, David Villa had several chances to score and did not. For the first time in a long time, Poku looked pedestrian which I attribute to the sloppy field playing conditions. A sad night for the team and its fans.

    Reply

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