Moments after saving a shot off the line, Lucas Rodriguez scored the winning goal to help lift D.C. United to a 2-1 win over the LA Galaxy Sunday night at Audi Field.
Against the run of play, D.C. United took the lead on a sequence that started with a long goal kick by Bill Hamid. Quincy Amarikwa, starting in place of the ill Wayne Rooney, headed on to Ulises Segura, who took the ball off his chest and flicked it forward. Paul Arriola slipped a first-time finish under a charging David Bingham fo his fifth goal of the season.
The Galaxy would level three minutes into the second half. After Jonathan dos Santos won a battle with Arriola by the corner flag, Antuna served a ball into the box. Zlatan Ibrahimovic attempted a shot, but it deflected off Jalen Robinson and into the path of Favio Alvarez, who guided his attempt from just inside the 18-yard box past Hamid for his third goal of the season.
The Galaxy pressed for the go-ahead goal, but couldn’t get the ball past Hamid. The MLS leader for saves this season made a stunning denial of an Ibrahimovic volley in the 71st minute. Rodriguez then cleared an attempt off the line on the ensuing corner kick.
It was a big defensive play by Rodriguez, who followed with the decisive goal on the other end moments later.
Goals
- 28’ — DC — Paul Arriola | WATCH
- 48’ — LA — Favio Alvarez | WATCH
- 73’ — DC — Lucas Rodriguez | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Considering the week, with roster turnover, injuries and word that Rooney was leaving at season’s end all coming after a 5-1 home loss to the Philadelphia Union, these three points are massive for D.C. United. The Galaxy were burned on a pair of counters and curse the soccer gods for only putting one of their 29 shots into the back of the net.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Ibrahimovic set an MLS single-game record with 14 shots, but only one was on target. That shot, a full volley in the second half, was turned aside by Hamid with this stunning save.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: It was a sensational defensive effort, with Frederic Brillant, Joseph Mora, Robinson and Steve Birnbaum each stepping up at different points. But Hamid was the rock needed in net.
Next Up
- DC: Saturday, August 17 at Vancouver Whitecaps (10:00 PM ET | TSN 1/4, MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US)
- LA: Wednesday, August 14 vs. FC Dallas (10:30 PM ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada)
