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Late Comeback From D.C. United Stuns New York
Late goals from United forward Luciano Emilio and midfielder Chris Pontius earned D.C. all three points in an enthralling game at Giants Stadium.
Apr 26, 2009 7:21:20 PM
D.C. United shocked the New York Red Bulls late to pull off a 3-2 road victory. Until the final few minutes of the match, New York seemed destined for a win, as second half goals from Juan
Pablo Angel and Dane Richards gave them the lead, after rookie Rodney
Wallace earned D.C. United the advantage mid way through the first half.
With the temperature nearing the triple digits at Giants Stadium, the heated rivalry began at a slow pace, with neither side having any clear opportunities in the first ten minutes. Richards was the creator of the first real opportunity of the game, as he made a nice run down the right hand flank in the 14 minute, but his cross slide through the box without a teammate being able to get a foot on it.
United's first chance came when Santino Quaranta was able to cut a pass back towards the top of the box in the 17 minute for Ben Olsen, but his shot was placed weakly into the welcoming arms of New York keeper Jon Conway.
Four minutes later though, when the game needed some drama, United stepped up and delivered a goal in the 21 minute. Bryan Namoff played a long ball up from the back, and Quaranta was able to beat the New York offside trap. After controlling the ball in the box, Quaranta sent a cross to the far post, and Wallace was able to slide in and finish the cross, for his first ever MLS goal, which gave United the 1-0 lead.
In the 26th minute, Quaranta was gifted a chance to increase United's lead, but his effort was off target. A goal kick from United keeper Louis Crayton was flicked onto the path of Quaranta, who had once again beat the offsides trap.But with the ball bouncing, and Conway off his line, Quaranta's shot flew well over the goal, and kept United from doubling their advantage.
After that chance, though, neither team was capable of creating many chances. The heat seemed to factor in somewhat, as both sides looked sluggish. But in the 36th minute, a pass was slid in for New York's Dominic Oduro, but his well-hit shot was caught by the diving Crayton, denying New York any second chance opportunities.
In the stoppage time of the first half, United had one final opportunity to increase the lead in the first half, but Jeremy Hall was able to rescue New York from conceding a second. A loose ball in the box fell for Wallace, but his shot was headed onto the bar and out for a corner by Hall -- a former teammate of Wallace at the University of Maryland. With that, the first half ended, and United went off the field with a 1-0 lead.
If the first half lacked drama, the second half was the complete opposite. New York manager Juan Carlos Osorio made two changes at the half, as he brought on Macoumba Kandji and Jorge Rojas on for Dominic Oduro and Andew Boyens to start the half.
The changes brought a new energy to the game, and New York began to reap the benefits of their pressure early in the second half.
The first chance for New York came in just the 47th minute of the game, as Rojas was able to line up a shot from outside of the box. His left footed effort bounced just wide of Crayton's post, but was an indication of things to come in the second half for New York.
New York had another great chance just moments later in the 49th minute, but Namoff was up to the task of clearing a Sinisa Ubiparipovic shot off the line. Kandji did well to control the ball in the United half, and beat defender Marc Burch into the box. He put a pass in towards Angel, but he let the ball run by to Ubiparipovic, whose shot was on target, but blocked by Namoff.
With New York continuing to control the game, their inevitable equalizer finally came in the 68th minute. Kandji won a free kick on the right hand side, as Wallace was booked for the foul. Rojas sent the free kick to the back post, where Angel won the header, and bounced his effort by Crayton.
New York continued with their dominance in the second half, and scored the go ahead goal in the 74th minute, courtesy of Jamaican winger Richards.
Angel was unlucky with a header from a Rojas cross, which Crayton was able to push up against the post. But Richards beat out two United defenders to the rebound, and was able to stab in the crucial third goal of the match.
Then it was United's turn to come back late in the game.
In the last minute of normal time, with New York protecting their lead, United scored the equalizer, compliments of Brazilian striker Luciano Emilio, for his fourth goal of the season.
From just inside the New York half, Pontius sent a long ball towards Quaranta at the corner of the 18 yard box. Quaranta one-timed a cross into the box, and Emilio was able to get a touch on the ball, which took it over Conway, and into the back of the net.
It looked like the match might end with a draw, and each team sharing the points on the day. But in the first minute of stoppage time, United scored again.
Namoff took a free kick near midfield, and pumped the ball up into the New York box. Miscommunication between defender Alfredo Pacheco and the keeper Conway, allowed 81st minute substitute Thabiso "Boyzzz" Khumalo the opportunity to keep the ball alive. Khumalo then kicked the ball back into the middle of the box, and Pontius was able to beat two defenders to the ball, and sneak the shot in for the winner.
As unlikely as it had seemed in the second half, United were able to win the game at the end, and New York were left scratching their heads at to what could have been.
Steven Streff, Goal.com
With the temperature nearing the triple digits at Giants Stadium, the heated rivalry began at a slow pace, with neither side having any clear opportunities in the first ten minutes. Richards was the creator of the first real opportunity of the game, as he made a nice run down the right hand flank in the 14 minute, but his cross slide through the box without a teammate being able to get a foot on it.
United's first chance came when Santino Quaranta was able to cut a pass back towards the top of the box in the 17 minute for Ben Olsen, but his shot was placed weakly into the welcoming arms of New York keeper Jon Conway.
Four minutes later though, when the game needed some drama, United stepped up and delivered a goal in the 21 minute. Bryan Namoff played a long ball up from the back, and Quaranta was able to beat the New York offside trap. After controlling the ball in the box, Quaranta sent a cross to the far post, and Wallace was able to slide in and finish the cross, for his first ever MLS goal, which gave United the 1-0 lead.
In the 26th minute, Quaranta was gifted a chance to increase United's lead, but his effort was off target. A goal kick from United keeper Louis Crayton was flicked onto the path of Quaranta, who had once again beat the offsides trap.But with the ball bouncing, and Conway off his line, Quaranta's shot flew well over the goal, and kept United from doubling their advantage.
After that chance, though, neither team was capable of creating many chances. The heat seemed to factor in somewhat, as both sides looked sluggish. But in the 36th minute, a pass was slid in for New York's Dominic Oduro, but his well-hit shot was caught by the diving Crayton, denying New York any second chance opportunities.
In the stoppage time of the first half, United had one final opportunity to increase the lead in the first half, but Jeremy Hall was able to rescue New York from conceding a second. A loose ball in the box fell for Wallace, but his shot was headed onto the bar and out for a corner by Hall -- a former teammate of Wallace at the University of Maryland. With that, the first half ended, and United went off the field with a 1-0 lead.
If the first half lacked drama, the second half was the complete opposite. New York manager Juan Carlos Osorio made two changes at the half, as he brought on Macoumba Kandji and Jorge Rojas on for Dominic Oduro and Andew Boyens to start the half.
The changes brought a new energy to the game, and New York began to reap the benefits of their pressure early in the second half.
The first chance for New York came in just the 47th minute of the game, as Rojas was able to line up a shot from outside of the box. His left footed effort bounced just wide of Crayton's post, but was an indication of things to come in the second half for New York.
New York had another great chance just moments later in the 49th minute, but Namoff was up to the task of clearing a Sinisa Ubiparipovic shot off the line. Kandji did well to control the ball in the United half, and beat defender Marc Burch into the box. He put a pass in towards Angel, but he let the ball run by to Ubiparipovic, whose shot was on target, but blocked by Namoff.
With New York continuing to control the game, their inevitable equalizer finally came in the 68th minute. Kandji won a free kick on the right hand side, as Wallace was booked for the foul. Rojas sent the free kick to the back post, where Angel won the header, and bounced his effort by Crayton.
New York continued with their dominance in the second half, and scored the go ahead goal in the 74th minute, courtesy of Jamaican winger Richards.
Angel was unlucky with a header from a Rojas cross, which Crayton was able to push up against the post. But Richards beat out two United defenders to the rebound, and was able to stab in the crucial third goal of the match.
Then it was United's turn to come back late in the game.
In the last minute of normal time, with New York protecting their lead, United scored the equalizer, compliments of Brazilian striker Luciano Emilio, for his fourth goal of the season.
From just inside the New York half, Pontius sent a long ball towards Quaranta at the corner of the 18 yard box. Quaranta one-timed a cross into the box, and Emilio was able to get a touch on the ball, which took it over Conway, and into the back of the net.
It looked like the match might end with a draw, and each team sharing the points on the day. But in the first minute of stoppage time, United scored again.
Namoff took a free kick near midfield, and pumped the ball up into the New York box. Miscommunication between defender Alfredo Pacheco and the keeper Conway, allowed 81st minute substitute Thabiso "Boyzzz" Khumalo the opportunity to keep the ball alive. Khumalo then kicked the ball back into the middle of the box, and Pontius was able to beat two defenders to the ball, and sneak the shot in for the winner.
As unlikely as it had seemed in the second half, United were able to win the game at the end, and New York were left scratching their heads at to what could have been.
Steven Streff, Goal.com
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