D.C. United advanced in US Open Cup qualification rounds with a 4-2 win on penalty kicks over the Philadelphia Union after a 2-2 draw Wednesday evening at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
The game – much like the Vancouver-New England match up ont eh same night – included two ejections.
The two sides exchanged first half goals via Philly’s Carlos Ruiz and DC’s Josh Wolff.
Ruiz scored int he 18th minute, Wolff scored rigt before the half.
Ruiz was ejected in the 86th minute, Union coach Peter Nowak was ejected in overtime.
The game was scoreless until extra time. DC defender, Daniel Woolard, gave his side the lead, smashing home off a goalmouth scramble. Not to be outdone, Philadephia’s Brian Carroll equalized from a corner kick in the 118th minute to force penalty kicks.
DC United's Branko Boskovic // Photo courtesy mlssoccer.com
In penalties, Union forward Jack McInerney missed a spot kick, and DC goalie Bill Hamid saved one from Roger Torres. That set up United midfielder, Branko Boskovic, to seal the win.
His shot was high to the right of Union goalie Faryd Mondragon – but inside the goal.
MLSsoccer.com offered a breakdown:
The frenetic ending to the game was as sharp contrast to its slow start, as the two sides battled for possession in the midfield. Things picked up after the quarter-hour and Philadelphia struck first in the 18th minute. A long throw-in from defender Sheanon Williams wasn’t properly cleared and an unmarked Ruiz had time to settle and fire past D.C. goalie Hamid.
The home side sent numbers forward in search of an equalizer. United’s Andy Najar created a great chance, dribbling past Williams, only to see Mondragon snare his cross.
United eventually netted the equalizer a minute before halftime. Defender Ethan White had his shot blocked off a corner but forward Joseph Ngwenya pounced on the deflection and crossed the ball back in to an open Wolff, who headed in from inside the six-yard box.
Each side had second-half chances to take the lead. Sebastien Le Toux got behind the United defense on the left flank and Hamid bobbled his low cross before DC’s defense was able to clear it.
Looking to break the deadlock, Najar almost gave DC the lead. Stephen King found Najar in space at the top of his box and the Honduran attacker unleashed a low shot inches wide of the far post. United kept the pressure on, as Boskovic forced a save from Mondragon in the 78th minute.
It was a wild finish to regulation. Philadelphia was down to 10 players when Carlos Valdes was sent off in the 87th minute with a his second yellow card. So, up a man in extra time, D.C. United dominated.
With the win, DC move on to host the New England Revolution on Tuesday, April 26, at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm ET.
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