Davies nets goal on birthday before Ching’s late equalizer; D.C. United 2, Dynamo 2
The party was on for Charlie Davies after he poked home what appeared to be a game-winning goal on his birthday midway through the second half against Houston on Saturday. He even got to do his preplanned goal celebration with Andy Najar, the Honduras bicycle dance, next to the corner flag.
But while D.C. United got caught up in the final moments trying to preserve the one-goal advantage Davies had provided, unmarked Dynamo forward Brian Ching nodded in an 89th-minute header that cost United the chance to claim a long-sought home victory and instead forced a 2-2 draw in front of 15,734 at RFK Stadium.
“Our ability with the lead is just not good enough,” United head coach Ben Olsen said. “Yeah, we’re young, and don’t have the experience of playing with a lead, but … we have a long way to go.”
After getting pummeled the last two times they’d come home from a positive result on the road, United (4-5-6) was determined to change its ways and had the added incentive of avenging a 4-1 loss at Houston on Apr. 29.
Taking advantage of the Dynamo (4-6-7), who had registered only one victory in nine matches since that match, D.C. dominated the game’s first 45 minutes.
After narrow misses by Davies – making his first start since May 14 – and Chris Pontius early, United was rewarded for its efforts in the 31st minute.
Houston actually appeared to have escaped unharmed when Josh Wolff fired a shot directly into the body of Jermaine Taylor, who was stationed just in front of the goal. But the rebound leaked out to the left side, where it was corralled by Dax McCarty, who like Davies also made his first start in five games.
McCarty and Wolff worked the ball back to Pontius, who took a touch and unleashed a 25-yard rocket that dipped and bent inside the left post, past a diving Tally Hally.
United’s lead was short-lived, as yet another controversial penalty kick ten minutes later stole their momentum. Ching made the most of minimal contact with United goalkeepr Bill Hamid to earn the call, his tumble in the box having more to do with tripping over his own feet.
Still, referee Mark Kadlecik didn’t hesitate to point to the spot, where Brad Davis tied the score, 1-1.
In the final furious minutes before halftime, McCarty’s sliding volley off a Najar corner kick should’ve reclaimed the lead if not for Kofi Sarkodie’s goal-line clearance, and Davies’ diving header was denied immediately after by Hall. Hamid even got into the act with a close-range save on rookie Will Bruin, who had a hat trick in the teams’ first meeting but hasn’t scored since.
“It’s a killer when you give up a goal in the last five minutes,” McCarty said, “and it’s kind of been a theme for us this year, giving up goals at bad times.”
But what was worse was a flat start to the second half. Hamid (five saves) was forced into action repeatedly, his best work deflecting a rising Danny Cruz shot off the crossbar. But even then D.C. defender Perry Kitchen was lucky to be in the way for a block when Bruin seized on the rebound.
D.C. also avoided going behind when Cruz missed an open net after Hamid whiffed when he tried to dive on a cross.
Najar then paved the way for Davies’ 73rd-minute goal – which tied him for the MLS lead with eight – attacking Hall from the endline, leading to a loose ball from three yards that Davies couldn’t miss.
United was on the way to its first RFK victory since May 4 until Colin Clark picked out Ching. Hamid said the veteran striker’s header would’ve been a routine save, but a redirection off Kitchen sent the ball out of his reach into the bottom right corner of the net.
“It’s going to definitely haunt me more than anybody,” Kitchen said. “I don’t know another way to put it. It just sucks because we worked so hard, especially to get three points at home.”
United has two wins in eight matches (2-2-4) at home this season.
“It’s not a good feeling,” Davies added. “That’s something we really need to focus on, and make RFK a place where people just can’t come in here and get points and get results.”
