The long, hot summer has been particularly cruel to D.C. United, which hadn’t won in eight MLS matches before Sunday and had only three goals since the start of the World Cup.
But the weather, along with United’s luckless drought, broke in the expansion Philadelphia Union’s first visit to Washington on Sunday — a relief-inducing 2-0 victory.
“We’ve had a lot of those moments this year that didn’t go for us,” said Ben Olsen, who earned his first victory as United’s interim coach. “But this one worked out. It’s been so long I didn’t know if we knew how to play with a lead.”
Danny Allsopp, who scored both of United’s goals — one on either side of halftime and a massive rainstorm — put United (4-14-3) on the board first for just the third time this season when Union defender Danny Califf muffed Andy Najar’s 22nd-minute cross.
It was the first goal by a United player other than Najar (the third was an own goal) since June 10.
“It’s always hard to chase games,” Allsopp said. “It takes a lot of the pressure off the other teams when they’re a goal up, and things become a lot easier. It was the reverse today.”
The weather deteriorated over the remainder of the first half, with a massive deluge descending on the 12,165 at RFK Stadium. Philadelphia had its best chance during the downpour, but Jordan Harvey’s header off a corner kick went right into his teammate, former United midfielder Fred, who was trying to establish position on the goal line.
With skies clearing after the break, Allsopp took United’s scoring lead (four goals) off another Najar run down the right flank in the 63rd minute, using his left foot to finish after Pablo Hernandez dummied the sliding ball. The Union (4-11-5) had just a single shot on goal the rest of the way as United ended a five-game losing streak in league play.
“Danny all week, it’s the best I’ve seen him train and he’s played since he got here,” said United midfielder Santino Quaranta, whom Olsen named captain for the first time. “I told him before the game he was one of the best players all week in training. When he works like that, he’ll score goals.”
