D.C. United cruise past Tecos reserves
"It was a good practice game for us," said United head coach Tom Soehn. "It was a good chance for us to play a game before our match with Chivas next Tuesday and it gave us an opportunity to correct some things we did wrong against Chivas in the first game."
Tecos's reserve squad was no match for United's first team, as the Black-and-Red controlled play throughout the match. D.C. created the first scoring opportunity in the fourth minute when Facundo Erpen's low blast from inside the box went just wide off the right post. United went ahead in the 13th minute on a magnificent effort from Jaime Moreno.
The Bolivian sniper collected the ball on the left flank near the box, shook off a defender near the end line and sent a delicate cross to the top of the box where Emilio rose above the defense for a clinical finish with a sharp header.
D.C. controlled the majority of possession in the midfield and goalkeeper Troy Perkins was rarely tested in the first half. The only clear chance for the young Tecos reserves came in the 18th minute when a nice combination on the left flank forced Perkins to come off of his line to thwart the attempt for a corner kick.
Gomez nearly doubled the margin for United in the 24th minute, but his bending free kick from 25 yards out was blocked to the side by the diving Tecos goalkeeper. Gomez, however, would exact his revenge in 32nd minute on a terrific combination with Moreno inside the box.
Erpen started the play with a nice touch to Moreno from the right side. The skillful Bolivian dribbled through the heart of the Tecos backline and beautifully threaded a pass to a charging Gomez, who calmly lifted a shot from eight yards out to put United ahead 2-0 and send the match into halftime.
Soehn made two substitutions to begin the second 40-minute half, sending Jay Nolly in for Perkins and Justin Moose for Gomez. The first-year head coach gave the rest of his starters a break in the early part of the half, making wholesale substitutions in the 50th and 54th minutes.
United's third goal came in the 57th minute on a superb individual performance from Casal, who minutes earlier had replaced Clyde Simms. The young Englishman collected a ball near the middle of the park and made a breathtaking run down the left flank, using his blazing speed to outpace the Tecos backline. As he made his way into the box, Casal cleverly repositioned the ball to his right foot to launch a diagonal strike over a helpless Tecos 'keeper.
Tecos' only threat in the second stanza came in the 65th minute when a free kick from 30 yards out forced Nolly to make a lunging save to his left to preserve the clean sheet. Tecos was forced to play a man down the final 10 minutes of the match after the referee issued a red card to one of its players for a tackle from behind on Kiki Willis.
D.C. United first half lineup:
Perkins; Erpen, Boswell, Namoff; Simms, B. Carroll, Olsen, Gomez, Gros; Emilio, Moreno
D.C. United second half lineup:
Nolly; Erpen (McTavish 54'), Boswell, Namoff (Wilson 54'); Simms (Casal 54'), B. Carroll (J. Carroll 54'), Olsen (Arguez 50'), Moose, Gros (DeReoux 50'); Emilio (Walker 50'), Moreno (Willis 50')
