D.C. United was poised to bounce back, as it has done all season, after a disappointing midweek loss in Los Angeles. But Sunday’s 2-0 win over the New York Red Bulls was crucial in other ways, too, as it created breathing room between United and the rest of the Eastern Conference and continued to build momentum ahead of more challenging matches and the fast approaching postseason.
“It’s massive,” said Assistant Coach Chad Ashton. “It gives us a little separation in the East. It puts those teams behind Kansas City that much further. It’s a massive win, especially if you look at what’s upcoming on our schedule. I’m really proud of these guys.”
D.C. United handled both the rivalry and the head, breaking through the wilting Red Bulls backline twice in the second half in front of a season-high RFK Stadium crowd of 19,453. Luis Silva found the net first in the 57th minute. Silva collected a ball sent down field by Bill Hamid – who picked up his first career assist on the play – and flicked on by Fabián Espíndola. Silva took his touch around Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles before passing the ball into an open net.
“Overall, we did well,” Ashton said. “We started the game really well. Maybe we fell off the last 15 minutes of the first half; a lot of it was due to the heat. It was really difficult conditions. But then, I thought our mentality coming out of the locker room in the second half set the tone, and eventually we get the goal, and then we have them chasing.”
Eddie Johnson put the game away in stoppage time. Perry Kitchen played a perfect ball over the top to a slicing Johnson, who then chipped Robles to make it 2-0.
“It’s something that I’ve been talking with Perry about all year, trying to find a better understanding from each other,” Johnson said. “And he played a fantastic ball over the top.”
The heat was a factor, but the Black-and-Red battled through and embraced the occasion, which had a distinct postseason feel.
“It was a great atmosphere,” Head Coach Ben Olsen said. “It was a playoff atmosphere which I know the team appreciated. At times it probably got us through what was a very tough match under tough circumstances.”
Bill Hamid also did his part to grind his team through the difficult Eastern Conference match up. He made jaw-dropping saves to keep the clean sheet, his seventh of the year, while continuing to do the little things necessary to remain focused.
“Bill is saving us at big moments,” said Ashton. “It’s the difference between zero points, one point and three points sometimes. He just continues to do it. He’s having a spectacular year.”
In the end, it all comes down to one thing:
“Character. We have guys that get it, guys that understand,” Ashton said. “It would have been easy to have the excuse with the heat, so many games in so many days, with the travel, but you didn’t feel that at all. You felt in the locker room before the game that there was buzz, there was intensity.”
“We’re strong,” Hamid said. “We’re strong mentally, and we’re strong physically.”
