With 10 minutes to play in Sunday’s MLS Eastern Conference clash against New York at RFK Stadium, there was little question that D.C. United was on its way to its best and most complete game of the season. Ben Olsen, a relentless midfielder but hardly ever a goal scorer, put together one of his best-ever offensive performances to put them in that position.
But on top of his first multi-goal game since 2005, Olsen saved just enough for a magnificent half-volley from 25 yards out in the 84th minute, completing his first-ever professional hat trick and cementing D.C.’s 4-2 victory over first-place New York in front of 18,066 at RFK Stadium.
“I was feeling it a little bit,” said Olsen, who has 25 goals in nine seasons. “It’s been a while since I scored that many goals. I’d have to go back to 13 years old or something like that.”
United (4-2-3) extended its unbeaten streak to six matches, despite playing a man down for the final half hour following the ejection of defender Bobby Boswell — who received his second yellow card in the 60th minute.
“Obviously, you don’t want to go shorthanded too often, and use that as motivation, but when Bobby got his second yellow, I thought the guys really stepped up, and even worked twice as hard,” said Soehn.
Though the teams were deadlocked, 1-1, at halftime, the Red Bulls (6-3-2), in their third game in eight days, started to lose their legs early in the second half.
“I think when the other team’s up a goal, they’re in a favorable position,” said New York head coach Bruce Arena. “But I think we reacted poorly, and I think obviously, we’re a physically tired team. At the end of the day, it still shouldn’t be an excuse.”
United forward Luciano Emilio scored for the first time in seven games to put D.C. ahead, 2-1, in the 49th minute, and Olsen doubled the lead on a long counter attack in the 72nd minute before his final tally in the 84th, a swerving strike that barely hit the fingertips of outstretched Red Bulls goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus. New York striker Juan Pablo Angel cut the deficit to 4-2 a minute later.
“Let’s be honest, I think they got a little tired. They had a game Wednesday,” said Olsen. “We can take it as the best game we’ve played this season, but we also need to go forward because they seemed to die a little bit physically. We can’t be too high on ourselves right now.”
Corner kicks
» Ben Olsen scored the game’s first goal in the 15th minute off a Josh Gros cross from the left side.
» New York midfielder Dema Kovalenko responded just three minutes later to tie the game at one, a play in which Red Bulls midfielder Claudio Reyna broke his nose after a collision with United midfielder Brian Carroll. Reyna did play the remainder of the match.
» United defender Bobby Boswell said he was disappointed in his ejection but disputed his foul against New York forward Jozy Altidore that earned him his second yellow.
“That’s not Brian Hall, the linesman’s got to see that, and for him, I didn’t agree with the direction of the call,” said Boswell. “I think it should’ve been our ball, and on top of that I get another yellow and put my team in a rough spot.”
