D.C. United moved to within two points of the New England Revolution atop the Eastern Conference, earning their fourth win in a row by defeating Real Salt Lake 3-1 on Wednesday at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Rookie defender Bobby Boswell, in his return to the starting lineup, put United ahead in the first half, then Freddy Adu and Christian Gomez scored two marvelous goals two minutes apart early in the second half to put the game away. Andy Williams scored the Real goal from the penalty spot as they fell to their 10th consecutive loss, two short of the MLS record losing streak.
Real were missing two starting defenders to international duty, as Eddie Pope and Gustavo Cabrera were with the USA and Guatemala respectively for their games this weekend.
It showed after just five minutes when Jaime Moreno forced a save from D.J. Countess, getting free for a header from 10 yards out that nearly cleared the Salt Lake 'keeper. Countess stretched every inch of his frame upward to make the catch.
At the other end, goalkeeper Troy Perkins was making his first start since the third game of the season, and was called upon early. Clint Mathis, at the heart of the RSL forward line in the new-look 3-4-3 scheme from coach John Ellinger, hit a shot that grazed the top of the crossbar in the eighth minute.
Then in the 19th minute Melvin Tarley and Andy Williams played a nice passing movement that put Tarley in alone, but he wasn't able to get any sort of shot off as Perkins quickly came off his line to disrupt the threat.
The Black-and-Red then opened the scoring in the 29th minute as Boswell scored his third of the year. Gomez swung a 25-yard freekick from the left touchline in front of the net, and Boswell got up and flicked the ball with the top of his head past Countess and inside the far post. Boswell hasn't played in the last three league games for United, losing his starting place to Argentinean defender Facundo Erpen.
United then blew the game open with two goals in three minutes early in the second half. First, five minutes after the restart, Adu scored a wonder goal. The 16-year-old spun around Brian Dunseth with a sombrero at the center circle and was off to the races. Adu streaked past RSL defender Nelson Akwari at the top of the penalty area and slotted home past Countess on the ground inside the far post.
It only took the Black-and-Red two more minutes to find the net again. Leading a lightning-quick counter-attack, Adu found Jamil Walker out wide on the right flank. Walker instantly crossed to Gomez who was wide open in front of the net, and he easily swept in his 11th goal on the season.
The home side was able to pull a goal back in the 79th minute. John Wilson brought down Jamie Watson in the area, and Williams converted from the spot, but it was far too little to keep Real from a 10th loss in a row.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Freddy Adu (D.C. United)
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
