Ola Kamara adds to goal tally as D.C. tops Minnesota

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:03 am

Major League Soccer goal leader Ola Kamara scored and had an assist as D.C. United defeated visiting Minnesota United 3-1 on Wednesday.

Kamara gave D.C. (12-11-4, 40 points) the lead in the 23rd minute via penalty kick for his 17th goal. Minnesota (10-9-7, 37 points) got the equalizer from Bakaye Dibassy in the 40th.

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Kamara set up Julian Gressel in the 45th minute for the 2-1 lead. Junior Moreno scored in the 85th minute, his first MLS goal in his 90th game, to assure D.C. improving to 4-1-1 in the past six matches and 10-3-0 at Audi Field.

Minnesota had won its previous two matches by shutouts, but the streak quickly came to an end when Andy Najar drew the penalty with a dribble on the right side of the box that forced a lunging attempt to knock the ball away by Chase Gasper.

Kamara used a stutter step from the spot to freeze Tyler Miller and deposit the ball in the bottom right corner. Kamara is one a goal shy of his career best 18 goals for the Columbus Crew in 2017. He scored 16 for the Crew in 2016.

Dibassy, a defender, scored his first MLS goal in his 29th match. Franco Fragapane sent a free kick to the box where Dibassy flicked it from 12 yards to make it 1-1.

D.C. responded with Kamara leading the way. He tiptoed along the right sideline, then turned the corner and found Gressel running toward the near post unmarked. Gressel brought the pass down with his left leg, then fired with his right for his first goal of the season.

Kamara failed to extend the lead to 3-1 in the 52nd minute when his stutter-step didn't fool Miller on a second PK. Dibassy committed the penalty with a tackle on Gressel.

D.C. had another chance in the 75th, but Paul Arriola was offside when he took pass from Edison Flores.

Moreno's goal came from a deflection off a Minnesota player to cap the scoring.