Photo Credit: D.C. United
No, the heat was not playing tricks on you: D.C. United scored six goals on Saturday night. While six goals might be something that one expects out of the likes of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, or Toronto FC given their proclivity to signing high-priced scorers for United it is a bit of a shock. Prior to Saturday night, the club had scored five plus goals in a match just once in the past nine years: a 6-4 victory over a Real Salt Lake in 2015. Considering that United scored just 27 goals entering into the match six seemed like a bit of a reach even against a Chicago Fire side that had allowed 40 goals.
But when speaking with United’s players it is apparent that the club expected to break out of their scoring slump. “We’ve been saying for a long time that the goals were coming,” said United center-back Bobby Boswell. “Six is great, we’ve got to keep scoring goals.”
One of the catalysts for the change in their scoring fortunes seems to be the play of Luciano Acosta and Patrick Mullins. With Mullins playing as a dedicated center forward and Acosta working as a center-midfielder United coach Ben Olsen seems to have found a combination on the attack that works. With Acosta commanding the attention of defender Mullins can find pockets of space to exploit. On Saturday night, the two connected four goals and three assists. Mullins also became the first United player since Luis Silva in 2014 to record a hat trick.
“I want to say that we expected a game like that, but I think that just with the kind of week it was with travel—three games for both teams—that if we kept the ball moving, we could create some chances,” said Mullins, who was picked up in July from New York City Football Club. “Obviously you don’t ever go into a game thinking six goals at the end of it, but our finishing was sharp tonight. That’s something to build on.”
The next step for United will be scoring on the road. The club has scored just six goals this season on the road. Although they have pulled out results in difficult spots in Kansas City, Salt Lake, and Houston their only victory on the road came in injury time against Sporting. That challenge of delivering more goals and points on the road starts on Thursday night against NYCFC (7pm MLS Live).
Some other news and notes from around RFK Stadium…
-On Sunday, Steve Birnbaum was called up to the United States Men’s National Team. The United center-back made Jurgen Klinsmann’s roster ahead of two World Cup qualifiers against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (9/1) and Trinidad and Tobago (9/6). As of right now the Saint Vincent match will not be shown on television but the T and T match will be shown live on FS1. Birnbaum will miss the NYCFC match but should be available for the September 11th match against the New York Red Bulls.
-Midfielder Jared Jeffrey was subbed out of Saturday’s match against the Fire with an apparent head injury. Olsen mentioned post-match that he was taken off as a precautionary measure after the match. As of this morning no further update has been given as to his status.
-United affiliate the Richmond Kickers continued their strong recent run of play on Saturday night with a 1-0 victory over Orlando City II. Defender Scott Thomsen scored the game-winner in the 76th minute extending the Kickers undefeated run to nine games (7-0-2,). United loanees Andrew Dykstra and Miguel Aguilar played 90 and 72 minutes respectively.
The victory, coupled with a loss by FC Cincinnati (12-5-7, 43 points), pushes the Kickers (12-6-7, 43 points) ahead of the USL expansion side for third place based on Goal Differential (+10 to +12). They will look to expand their lead tonight when they travel to City Stadium to take on the Charleston Battery (7pm, USL Soccer website).
DMV Beer of the Week: Brookeville Brewery’s Interdependence IPA.
