Pretty much everything that D.C. United was not in Sunday’s nationally televised clunker against Philadelphia … the men of RFK were in re-asserting their home ground dominance with a 4-2 win over previously hot Chicago.
What Dwayne De Rosario could not do Sunday (get that long-awaited goal to help his team while climbing one notch short of milepost MLS strike No. 100) he did quite early in this one.
United is 9-1-3 at home this year, enjoying a plus-17 goal difference at RFK. The record for Ben Olsen’s team looks very different on the road, which is why it would greatly assist United to finish fourth rather than fifth in the standings, at least. In the new playoff way, Nos. 4 and 5 meet in a one-game playoff at the site of the higher seed. United is currently fifth, while Chicago remains in fourth.
The big talker from Wednesday at RFK, however, might just be another appearance from Honduran international Andy Najar (pictured) at right back. We’ve seen it before, but not very often. He finished Sunday’s game there and started along the back line last night against the Fire.
Verdict: his coordination with the back line is understandably behind the curve, but the man’s one-on-one defending seems solid enough. And his runs forward have the potential to be devastating, as with the one that ended in a far post cross to Lionard Pajoy to give the Black and Red a 2-1 cushion.
Watch that one and all four United goals here:
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