Photo: Nick Soolsma found the net in Washington for Reserves.
It was a high-scoring affair at RFK Stadium as D.C. United’s reserve squad topped Toronto’s reserves 4-3 Saturday afternoon. Stephen King, Maicon Santos, Chris Pontius and Hamdi Salihi got on the socre sheet for the home side in a shootout. DC moves to 1-0-1 in Reserve League play.
United nearly got on the board in the third minute when Chris Pontius – earning his first on-field action since May 12 – played a through ball to Maicon Santos. Santos turned his defender and got off a left-footed shot but goalkeeper Quillan Roberts was up to the task.
Toronto should have gone up 1-0 in the sixth minute when Joe Willis mishandled a hard shot from distance. Toronto forward Peri Marosevic was in perfect position for the rebound, but his uncontested header went just wide of Willis’ post.
RELATED: Marosevic training with Academy
United opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Maicon Santos collected the ball deep in Toronto’s half. The big forward beat his defender and whipped in a well-driven cross. The ball was mishandled by a Toronto defender and fell right to a waiting Stephen King, who easily blasted the ball into the net from eight yards.
DC doubled its lead four minutes later when Emiliano Dudar spotted an open Kurt Morsink at midfield. The well-placed ball from Dudar found Morsink all alone, before the midfielder played a perfectly weighted ball behind Toronto’s back line to Santos. United’s leading goal-scorer carried the ball into the box, slid past the diving Roberts, and calmly finished into the empty net.
Toronto was able to get back in the game against the run of play in the 29th minute when a midfield turnover by Marcelo Saragosa led to a break for the visitors. TFC striker Keith Makubuya received the ball in United’s box and fed a ball back to the top of the 18 for Peri Marosevic, who hit the ball first time into the lower left corner past a helpless Joe Willis.
The 2-1 score stood at the halftime whistle, but Toronto quickly evened things up in the 47th minute when Nick Soolsma received the ball in the right corner of United’s half. The midfielder sent in a well-driven cross that fell perfectly to Makubuya. The forward made no mistake and smashed a first-time volley from eight yards into the back of the net.
Six minutes later, DC recaptured the lead following a terrible giveaway by Toronto’s back line. The ball fell directly to Pontius at the top of the 18-yard box, and was easily deposited past Roberts with his second touch.
DC extended its lead to 4-2 when guest player Ricky Burke got on the end of a long outlet behind Toronto’s back line. The midfielder played a well-weighted ball into the box for Hamdi Salihi and the Albanian carried the ball towards the six-yard box and chipped the onrushing Roberts.
Toronto did its best to keep the result interesting when Soolsma got on the score sheet in the 89th minute. The forward got on the end of long clearance that bounced in United’s goal box and hit a first time strike that beat Joe Willis.
The consolation goal was not enough as the final whistle blew a few minutes later. DC’s reserves are currently scheduled to play their next match at home on Tuesday, July 10 against the Philadelphia Union.
Scoring summary
DC – Stephen King 16
DC – Maicon Santos (Kurt Morsink, Emilano Dudar) 20
TOR – Peri Marosevic (Keith Makubuya) 29
TOR – Keith Makubuya (Nick Soolsma) 47
DC – Chris Pontius 53
DC – Hamdi Salihi (Ricky Burke) 80
TOR – Nick Soolsma 89
Misconduct Summary
DC – Irvin Herrera (caution) 84
Lineups
D.C. United: Joe Willis; Chris Korb, Ethan White, Emiliano Dudar (Ricky Burke* 45), Lewis Neal; Kurt Morsink, Marcelo Saragosa, Nick DeLeon (Andy Najar 66), Stephen King (Denis Najar 87); Maicon Santos (Irvin Herrera* 83), Chris Pontius (Hamdi Salihi 62).
Toronto: Quillan Roberts; Ty Harden (Roberto Galle* 28), Dicoy Williams, Miguel Aceval, Tyler Pasher; Matt Stinson, Oscar Cordon (Michael Wagenknecht 83), Junior Burgos (Mario Orestano* 69); Nick Soolsma, Keith Mukubuya, Peri Marosevic.
*Academy player
Guest player
