D.C. United earn wild 3-2 victory over Toronto FC

Updated: Oct 12, 2023, 03:20 pm

Ted Ku-DiPietro scored his first career MLS goal in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time to lift D.C. United to a wild 3-2 victory over visiting Toronto FC on Saturday night in both teams' season opener.

Ku-DiPietro also set up Christian Benteke's 90th-minute equalizer, which was the former Crystal Palace striker's second goal in eight matches since joining D.C. from the Premier League's Crystal Palace last summer.

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Mateusz Klich also scored for D.C. in the 13th minute of his MLS debut as D.C. gave back an early lead, then fought from behind to avoid its first home defeat to Toronto since 2015.

Federico Bernardeschi scored from the penalty spot in the 66th minute and was the driving force keeping Toronto in the match after his fellow Italian winger Lorenzo Insigne left the game late in the first half with an apparent leg injury.

Mark-Anthony Kaye then put Toronto briefly ahead in the 83rd minute on a rebound of Bernardeschi's excellent free kick, which Tyler Miller saved at full stretch but could not push away from danger.

D.C. manager Wayne Rooney made two last substitutions to try and rejuvenate his squad, but it was ultimately Ku-DiPietro who came on earlier in the second half making the difference.

At the end of normal time, he combined with Mohanad Jeahze down the left and then sent a composed, left-footed cross to the top of the 6-yard box, where Benteke outmuscled his defender to guide a header past NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson.

Eight minutes later, it was Jeahze again providing the service, this time to Ku-DiPietro, who showed composure to collect it with his first touch and hammer a game-winning finish past Johnson with his second.

The 21-year-old -- who had previously only scored in the second tier of Loudon United in the USL Championship -- raced to the touchline in celebration before a jubilant home crowd.

Jeahze assisted all three D.C. goals, providing the through ball on the opener to Klich, who hammered a low finish from beyond the 18-yard area into the bottom low corner.