United drop six-pack on MetroStars
Jaime Moreno scored a goal and assisted on two others, while Ryan Nelsen, Earnie Stewart and Ben Olsen all put their names on the scoresheet as United took over first place in the Eastern Conference from their rivals in the second meeting of the "Atlantic Cup" this season.
Despite midsummer heat and humidity, plenty of emotion, energy, and end-to-end play was on display and both teams' intention to play attacking soccer was evident from the outset.
Bobby Convey, playing in an attacking midfield role, looked energetic and aggressive, leading wave after wave of D.C. counterattacks. United had superior possession in the early going, but looked uncomfortable with the MetroStars fluid attacking, which paid off in the 19th minute when they drew first blood.
GAME COVERAGE | |
 6 |
- 2
 |
| |
But United showed signs of recovery when Moreno's goalbound shot in the 25th minute was skillfully blocked by defender Eddie Pope. Five minutes later, Eskandarian's hard work in the corner was rewarded as Jeff Parke was forced to commit a foul on the D.C. striker. On the ensuing free kick, Nelsen rose above the crowd to head home Convey's inswinging service, the first goal of the season for United's captain, just returned from a groin injury.
Crucially, United was gifted an easy goal by humiliated Metros 'keeper Jonny Walker in the 38th minute. Instead of clearing a back pass, Walker tried to trick the pressuring Moreno, and was punished as Moreno poked the ball away and finished into an empty net.
Just four minutes later, another D.C. counterattack resulted in a beautiful goal for Eskandarian, who shook his marker and powered home a low near-post cross from Olsen to send United into the break ahead by two goals. The architect of the move was Moreno, who carried the ball half the length of the field before springing Olsen just outside the MetroStars box.
The second half kicked off with pace and intensity, with referee Jair Marrufo handing out a rash of cards as tempers flared. But United struck first in the 57th minute, when stealing a page from the MetroStars' Gaven, Earnie Stewart timed his run to beat the offsides trap as Kovalenko played a perfectly flighted ball into the box. With tons of time and space, Stewart waited for Walker to commit, then coolly slotted home between the 'keeper's legs.
Down 4-1, Metros coach Bob Bradley looked for instant offense, throwing on Jamaican goalscorer Fabian Taylor. The substitution payed off immediately, as Taylor scored from close range after Gaven showed impressive skill and strength in the corner, shrugging off Kovalenko and Brian Carroll in a mazy run through several defenders on the left flank.
Desperate for an unlikely comeback, the MetroStars threw numbers into the attack but were punished in the 69th minute. Moreno shredded the defense again, dispossessing Pablo Brenes and charging into the box before sending a low cross to Eskandarian at the far post. Eskandarian had the easiest of tap-ins for his second goal of the match and his sixth of the year.
The loud crowd of 16,177 was given their wish in the 82nd minute as Freddy Adu entered the game in place of Convey. Just as he had hinted earlier in the week, United coach Peter Nowak moved Adu into an attacking midfield role, rather than the out-and-out striker position he has played most of the season -- and almost immediately, Adu was booked for a clumsy foul on Brenes.
Walker's and the MetroStars' woeful day ended with an injury time goal from Olsen, who smashed a free kick under the Metro wall and past the despondent 'keeper three minutes into stoppage time.
United now assumes first place in the East and head out West to Kansas City next Saturday for a key matchup of potential conference leaders (8:30 p.m. ET; HDnet). The MetroStars, having ended a stretch of five games in 15 days, head home to face the San Jose Earthquakes next Saturday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United)
MetroStars (5-6-4) vs. D.C. United (5-5-5)
July 03, 2004 -- RFK Stadium
Scoring Summary:
MET -- Eddie Gaven 4 (Amado Guevara 6) 18
DC -- Ryan Nelsen 1 (Bobby Convey 3) 30
DC -- Jaime Moreno 4 (unassisted) 37
DC -- Alecko Eskandarian 5 (Dema Kovalenko 4, Jaime Moreno 5) 41
DC -- Earnie Stewart 1 (Dema Kovalenko 5) 57
MET -- Fabian Taylor 5 (Eddie Gaven 5) 63
DC -- Alecko Eskandarian 6 (Jaime Moreno 6) 69
DC -- Ben Olsen 2 (unassisted) 92+
MetroStars -- Jonny Walker, Tim Regan (Pablo Brenes 46), Jeff Parke, Eddie Pope, Chris Leitch, Joselito Vaca (John Wolyniec 68), Ricardo Clark, Amado Guevara, Eddie Gaven, Sergio Galvan Rey (Fabian Taylor 60), Mike Magee.
Substitutes Not Used: Kenny Arena, Zach Wells.
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Amado Guevara 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Eddie Gaven 1, Fabian Taylor 1); FOULS: 12 (Ricardo Clark 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 8 (Mike Magee 6); SAVES: 2 (Jonny Walker 2)
D.C. United -- Troy Perkins, Bryan Namoff, Ryan Nelsen, Mike Petke (Ezra Hendrickson 57), Earnie Stewart (Joshua Gros 65), Brian Carroll, Dema Kovalenko, Ben Olsen, Bobby Convey (Freddy Adu 82), Alecko Eskandarian, Jaime Moreno.
Substitutes Not Used: Kevin Ara, Brandon Prideaux, Santino Quaranta, Nick Rimando, David Stokes.
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Ben Olsen 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Alecko Eskandarian 2, Ben Olsen 2); FOULS: 18 (Alecko Eskandarian 3, Jaime Moreno 3); OFFSIDES: 6 (Freddy Adu 2, Alecko Eskandarian 2); CORNER KICKS: 5 (Ben Olsen 2, Earnie Stewart 2); SAVES: 0
Misconduct Summary:
MET -- Ricardo Clark (caution; Reckless Foul) 46
DC -- Mike Petke (caution; Reckless Foul) 53
DC -- Earnie Stewart (caution; Pushing, Holding) 56
DC -- Freddy Adu (caution; Reckless Foul) 82
DC -- Alecko Eskandarian (caution; Reckless Foul) 91+
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Referee's Assistants: -Robert Fereday; Paul Scott
4th Official: Gus St. Silva
Attendance: 16,177
Time of Game: 1:50
Weather: Sunny-and-88-degrees
All Statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.
