By Abram Heredia
A game on the road against a star studded Orlando side who has been starved of a win is never a good sign. Nevertheless, D.C. fans undoubtedly felt they had a good chance coming into this game after winning two in a row with a combined 7 goals in their last two matches. D.C. United lineup in their usual 3-4-2-1 only with Andy Najar starting at left wingback instead of Paredes who was left out due to reasons undisclosed.
D.C. started the game off strong, almost scoring off a cross into the box from Gressel but unfortunately, the header from Moreno was placed just wide. D.C. was not discouraged in the slightest as just 20 seconds later they’re back on the attack. A clearance from an Orlando defender sees the ball launched up the field toward the center spot where it was won in the air by D.C. captain, Steve Birnbaum. The header was flicked to Junior Moreno who after snatching the ball out of the air managed to play it to Arriola who stretched across the floor to get it to Russell Canouse. Canouse passed it first time to Julian Gressel running up the right side of the pitch. Gressel took a touch, lifted his head, then fired it into the near post of Orlando’s goal. A thunderous strike from Julian Gressel from outside the box nets him his second goal in two games.
Despite the early lead, Orlando looked extremely dangerous going forward. Daryl Dike, despite not having quite the season many expected from him, looked menacing every time he was near the ball, a menace that would continue to haunt D.C. United until the very last whistle. One such menacing moment came in the 16th minute where an overlapping run by Orlando’s fullback was successfully picked out and for a moment the first time driven cross across the box looked destined to meet Daryl Dike who was unmarked and waiting to pounce. A heroic block from Birnbaum steered the cross away from the closing striker and crept past the far post, though it was inches from being an own goal. The captain’s heroics proved to be futile as Orlando managed to find a goal in the 17th minute from a corner which was initially saved by Bill Hamid but the rebound fell directly into the path of Swedish defender, Robin Jannson, who masterfully volleyed the ball into the roof of the net.
The second half of this game is one that D.C. United will surely be looking to forget as quickly as possible. Despite a number of goal scoring opportunities, D.C. was unable to finish. An offense that was eventually punished in the game’s dying breath. In the 97th minute, a corner kick played to the near post found the head of Daryl Dike who flicked it toward the back post, managing to keep it under the crossbar, finding the back of the net. A controversial goal coming off a corner kick which should have never happened due to the fact that the ball went out of playoff of an Orlando player. A goal that robbed D.C. United of a point away from home.