The Black-and-Red are sitting in second place in the eastern conference standings after their 2-2 draw with Portland Timbers on Saturday, March 2. Just a week after Christian Benteke’s hat trick performance, Mateusz Klich and Kristian Fletcher scored their respective first goals of the season. Their efforts helped D.C. United comeback from a 2-0 deficit late in the second half.
The first shot attempt came from Mateusz Klich from well outside the 18-yard box but Maxime Crepeau was there for the easy save.
The Timbers scored an early goal in the 18th minute and had thought to seal the deal later in the 61st minute. Attacking down the right flank, Santiago Moreno slowed his pace and looked to lay off the ball in the middle. He timed his pass perfectly to Dairon Asprilla in the center of the box who fired it home past Alex Bono for the Timbers’ first goal. What started as a free kick from about 30 yards out from Eryk Williamson, turned into pay dirt for Portland. D.C. United couldn’t clear the ball from their defensive third and things got chaotic. Towards the end of that chaos, the ball fell to the boot of Santiago Moreno who slotted home a low, near-post effort to best Bono again. Moreno ended the match with one goal and an assist.
In the 71st minute, D.C. United were able to turn things around. Diego Chara was called for a handball in the box which awarded the Black-and-Red a penalty kick. That’s when Mateusz Klich stepped up and calmly tapped the ball in from the spot to bring the match within a goal. 11 minutes later, D.C. United are flying on a counterattack. On the right flank, Aaron Herrera sent in a sizzling cross that breezed across the face of goal and found the young baller Kristian Fletcher. Once the ball arrived, the second-half substitute one-timed it past Crepeau for the game-tying goal.
Phil Neville’s Timbers will feel hard done about the finish but D.C. United can be proud of salvaging a point on the road and truly playing to the final whistle. “I’m really proud of this performance,” D.C. United coach Troy Lesesne began. “I have a feeling we could’ve got all three points tonight but that’s the type of performance we put out for the majority of the match.”
D.C. United will hit the road once again to face FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium on Sunday, March 10, at 4:00 PM ET. The match can be seen with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+. Each week, the platform airs a host of free matches for viewers to get a taste of what the subscription provides. The following week on March 16, D.C. United’s home match against Inter Miami will be one of the free matches for fans to sample the platform.
-Jon Jones
Photo: Courtesy of D.C. United