- Benny Feilhaber - 11'
- Kei Kamara - 66'
- Luciano Acosta - 35'
- Christopher Durkin - 38'
- Lucas Rodríguez - 43'
D.C. United score three in nine minutes to down Colorado Rapids
D.C. United erupted for three goals in a nine-minute span late in the first half en route to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night in Commerce City, Colo.
D.C. United improved to 4-1-2 to take the Eastern Conference lead with 14 points, while the struggling Rapids fell to 0-5-2.
Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney was in the starting lineup for D.C. United after he missed the match with Montreal on Tuesday with a suspension. He did not practice Wednesday due to flu-like symptoms, but the United offense came through in the first half without his contributions.
The Rapids, trailing 3-1 at halftime, cut the margin to 3-2 on a goal by Kei Kamara. The goal at the 66-minute mark was assisted by Benny Feilhaber and Nicolas Mezquida. Kamara also missed a header in the closing minutes of the match that would have tied the game.
The home team got off to a strong start. The Rapids took a 1-0 lead 11 minutes into the match on Feilhaber's second goal of the season.
Tommy Smith and Jack Price assisted on the tally, which beat United keeper Bill Hamid from just inside the left corner of the 6-yard box. It was just the 10th goal of the season for Colorado.
Rooney had a free kick go wide in the 31st minute as the Rapids kept the lead, but minutes later, the visitors began the onslaught.
D.C. tied the game at 1-1 in the 35th minute on a goal by Luciana Acosta. Donovan Pines and Steve Birnbaum assisted on the goal by Acosta, who beat Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard from just inside the penalty spot.
Chris Durkin scored the first goal of his career to give D.C. United a 2-1 lead in the 38th minute, and Lucas Rodriguez had the assist. Durkin, 19, is a homegrown player from Glen Allen, Va., about 90 miles south of Audi Field in D.C.
Rodriguez scored the third goal in nine minutes of play for D.C. United, who took a 3-1 lead at the 43-minute mark.
The Rapids had five corner kicks in the first half, while D.C. United had just two.
Hamid had a big save in the closing minutes of the match to preserve the victory.
Defender Donovan Pines of D.C. United made his MLS debut in the match, as he was in the starting lineup.
Game Information
MLS Standings
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inter Miami CF | 34 | 22 | 8 | 4 | +30 | 74 |
| Columbus Crew | 34 | 19 | 9 | 6 | +32 | 66 |
| FC Cincinnati | 34 | 18 | 5 | 11 | +10 | 59 |
| Orlando City SC | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | +9 | 52 |
| Charlotte FC | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | +9 | 51 |
| New York City FC | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | +5 | 50 |
| New York Red Bulls | 34 | 11 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 47 |
| CF Montréal | 34 | 11 | 10 | 13 | -16 | 43 |
| Atlanta United FC | 34 | 10 | 10 | 14 | -3 | 40 |
| D.C. United | 34 | 10 | 10 | 14 | -18 | 40 |
| Toronto FC | 34 | 11 | 4 | 19 | -21 | 37 |
| Philadelphia Union | 34 | 9 | 10 | 15 | +7 | 37 |
| Nashville SC | 34 | 9 | 9 | 16 | -16 | 36 |
| New England Revolution | 34 | 9 | 4 | 21 | -37 | 31 |
| Chicago Fire FC | 34 | 7 | 9 | 18 | -22 | 30 |
MLS Standings
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAFC | 34 | 19 | 7 | 8 | +20 | 64 |
| LA Galaxy | 34 | 19 | 7 | 8 | +19 | 64 |
| Real Salt Lake | 34 | 16 | 11 | 7 | +17 | 59 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 16 | 9 | 9 | +16 | 57 |
| Houston Dynamo FC | 34 | 15 | 9 | 10 | +8 | 54 |
| Minnesota United FC | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | +9 | 52 |
| Colorado Rapids | 34 | 15 | 5 | 14 | +1 | 50 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps | 34 | 13 | 8 | 13 | +3 | 47 |
| Portland Timbers | 34 | 12 | 11 | 11 | +9 | 47 |
| Austin FC | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | -9 | 42 |
| FC Dallas | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | -2 | 41 |
| St. Louis CITY SC | 34 | 8 | 13 | 13 | -13 | 37 |
| Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 8 | 7 | 19 | -15 | 31 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 34 | 6 | 3 | 25 | -37 | 21 |
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