It’s a play that happens in soccer games every day, everywhere around the world, at every level. A forward hangs around the box after the opposing goalkeeper picks up the ball, hoping desperately to harass him into a mistake on his punt.
Which almost never happens — until Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.
In the 68th minute of D.C. United’s 3-2 loss to the expansion Union in their first home game, Philadelphia goalkeeper Chris Seitz, who won an NCAA title at Maryland, lined up with D.C.’s Jaime Moreno trying to unnerve him.
As Seitz went for his kick, Moreno faked a lunge, and Seitz flinched, failing even to take a swing at the ball. Instead, it fell from his hands out of the penalty area, where Moreno quickly pounced, faked left and then softly rolled the ball into the open net.
It was as memorable — and just as rare — as Vice President Joe Biden taking part in the opening kickoff, making him the highest ranking U.S. government official ever to attend an MLS match.
“I’ve seen a goalkeeper put a ball down, think he’s going to hit it off the ground and the guy comes from behind,” United goalkeeper Troy Perkins said. “But I’ve never seen a goalkeeper not even swing at the ball. It’s a first for me. You’re better off hitting it, and if he steps in front of it, it’s a free kick because he’s too close to you. If he does that, just hit it. Don’t worry about it. It’s crazy. Weird.”
