WASHINGTON -- Needing a win to stay on course for a spot in the quarterfinal round, D.C. United took care of business in their CONCACAF Champions League Group B match against San Juan Jabloteh on Wednesday night, coasting to an assured 5-1 win over the Trinidadian side on a crisp fall evening at RFK Stadium.
Christian Gomez and Boyzzz Khumalo each chalked up a brace while Brazilian winger Fred grabbed a first-half goal that could do wonders for his confidence after a summer marked by inconsistent form. United are now on the verge of securing second place in the group and will watch Thursday's Marathon-Toluca match with interest as a Toluca victory will seal their progression to the Champions League knockout phase.
United rested several starters for the match, surely eyeing Saturday's must-win league match against Chivas USA, and reserves like David Habarugira, Devon McTavish and Khumalo were the beneficiaries. D.C. coach Tom Soehn veteran also sprinkled in a dash of experience in the form of South Americans Gomez and Fred, while holding midfielder Clyde Simms was handed the captain's armband.
The home side looked more threatening in the early going and grabbed the lead in the 13th minute when Fred spotted Rodney Wallace making a timely overlapping run from his left back spot. The United rookie sent a low cross into the box and when Jabloteh defender Noel Williams was unable to clear the danger, Gomez drilled a straightforward finish into the roof of the net with goalkeeper Cleon John left helpless.
Gomez broke free with a well-timed run six minutes later and should've notched his second, but the Argentinean was unable to curl his shot around John as the Trinidadian netminder made a solid save.
D.C. continued to press their advantage as Chris Pontius nearly connected on David Habarugira's endline cross at the near post and Simms' well-weighted diagonal ball sent Fred in alone on John soon afterwards.
Though the San Juan 'keeper came out alertly to block the shot, he could do little when the Brazilian was handed an even better look at goal by Pontius mere moments later. Fred took his rookie teammate's pass in stride and clipped an angled finish past John to run United's lead to 2-0.
Smelling blood in the water, the Black-and-Red surged forward in droves and the run-up to their third goal resembled a jailbreak as Gomez, trailed closely by Pontius, loped into the Jabloteh penalty box and sent Joel Russell flying with a nimble cutback before squaring to an unmarked Khumalo at the far post. The South African stroked an emphatic left-footed finish into the net to give his team a 3-0 advantage just before halftime.
United goalkeeper Milos Kocic was rendered a bystander for much of the first half, but he was called upon seven minutes after intermission when Jabloteh midfielder Willis Plaza skipped away from Julius James and drilled a low shot towards the far post. Kocic produced an excellent kick save to block the effort and preserve his clean sheet, however.
With their pride at stake, the visitors were showing more fight in the second half but they once again found themselves undone by the Wallace-Gomez combination in the 68th minute. Wallace galloped down the left channel and sent a low cutback to United's No. 10, who took a touch before poking in a shot that John parried, but could not keep out of the net.
Soehn inserted recent signing Tiyiselani Shipalane in the 66th minute and the young South African quickly displayed why United acquired him from USL-2 side Harrisburg City Islanders, showing quickness and technique to slalom past defenders almost at will. The right winger's pace quickly earned respect as Jabloteh left back Williams had little choice but to give him a hefty cushion of space whenever he took possession of the ball.
Shipalane's service from the flank went unrequited, however, and San Juan finally struck back seven minutes from full time when second-half substitute Hector Sam took an angled pass from the right wing and cut back inside the D.C. box before slotting a smart pass to Jerrel Britto at the far post.
With Habarugira caught out of position, the Jabloteh striker slipped a first-time finish between Kocic and the left post to run the score to 4-1. But the game had one more goal in store as Khumalo made the most of an enticing layoff from Fred in the final minutes, curling a tidy finish around John with his left foot to notch his second tally of the game.
United conclude group play on Oct. 20 when they take on Toluca in the Mexican city.
SCORING SUMMARY
DC: Christian Gomez (Rodney Wallace) 13
DC: Fred (Pontius) 30
DC: Thabiso Khumalo (Christian Gomez) 43
DC: Christian Gomez (Rodney Wallace) 68
SJJ: Jerrel Britto (Hector Sam) 83
DC: Thabiso Khumalo (Fred) 92+
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
DC: Andrew Jacobson (caution) 45
DC: David Habarugira (caution) 53
SJJ: Willis Plaza (caution) 65
DC: Danny Szetela (caution) 76
Referee: German Arrendondo
Assistant Referees: Arturo Velasquez, Hector Delgadillo
Fourth Official: Terry Vaughn
Time of Game: 1:49
Attendance: 3,411
Weather: Cloudy- and- 60 degrees
