D.C. United 2, Colorado Rapids 0
Injuries, coach’s decisions and scheduling led to D.C. United having its three highest-paid players in the starting lineup for the second time this season on Wednesday night.
It produced one of the team’s most dominant performances of the season, a complete 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids at RFK Stadium that would’ve been by a larger margin if not for Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens.
Dwayne De Rosario, the best paid of the three, scored first. Hamdi Salihi, United’s prized offseason signing, added the other goal while D.C.’s third designated player, Branko Boskovic, had his most influential outing of the year in the first of a crucial three-game homestand before a two-week break to start June.
“You could tell we had some soccer players out there, some guys that really know how to move the ball,” United coach Ben Olsen said. “It could’ve been even better, I think.”
De Rosario, who has resumed the form that earned him league MVP honors last year, put United (6-4-3) on the board with his third goal of the year, latching onto a neatly threaded pass in the 25th minute from Lewis Neal, whose second MLS start was a demonstration of the depth at Olsen’s disposal.
Pickens was unsuccessful racing off his line to try and deny De Rosario, but moments later he made a trio of superb saves over a span of 90 seconds. First, it was leaping parry on a powerful deflected shot from distance by De Rosario. On the ensuing corner kick, one of a trove of dangerous deliveries dangled in front of the net by Boskovic, Pickens stopped Robbie Russell’s point-blank header.
Boskovic, who took over as United’s midfield playmaker while De Rosario moved to forward, launched his own curling bid and was also denied. Pickens did the same to Andy Najar just before halftime after the United midfielder spun and turned Rapids defender Luiz Zapata inside-out.
“It doesn’t matter how much you practice, you need game,” said Boskovic, who has been out of favor and played 71 minutes in just his third start, his longest outing since the 2010 season finale. “Game is something else. I need maybe one more game like this to feel more better in second half because I little bit go down physically in second half, but I’m happy, how I play.”
With Maicon Santos (calf) and Chris Pontius (gluteal muscle) sidelined, Salihi strengthened his claim to be United’s full-time starter. The Albanian striker had a close-range nod tipped over the bar two-minutes after the break but doubled the lead in the 60th minute. Neal’s well placed cross found Boskovic unmarked to snap a header to the corner, and Pickens responded with the best of his eight saves, but Salihi cleaned up the rebound for his third goal in four games.
“It’s good when you score and you win,” Salihi said. “I hope I stay in this way as long as possible, but how I say, I scored today, maybe next game I will not score. But the next day I will work the same.”
In United’s first home shutout victory since a 4-0 win over Vancouver last August, the Rapids (5-6-0) came closest when Bill Hamid put his body in front of Jaime Castrillon’s hopeful volley.
While Daniel Woolard built his case as D.C.’s best and most versatile defender, Robbie Russell exited early with a hamstring strain. But the United defense didn’t miss a beat as Najar moved to the back line, and Russell said he was being careful and that he expected to be ready for D.C.’s next match in three days against Toronto FC (0-8-0).
“Guys are being patient, biding their time, and when they get the opportunity, they capitalize,” De Rosario said. “It just shows first of all, the mentality of this team, and the second, the depth of this team. It was a great performance, all around.”
