After Darren Mattocks’ 85th-minute equalizer found the back of the net on Wednesday against the LA Galaxy, the Jamaican striker ran just beyond the 18-yard box and was mobbed by jubilant teammates in celebration.
Mattocks found an answer for United after collecting a pass from Paul Arriola at the side of the penalty box, knifing through two LA defenders, and hitting a shot over another Galaxy defender and past the leaping effort of goalkeeper David Bingham.
The celebration for Mattocks and company was a result of not only the tying goal to secure a hard-fought point on the road, but also a feeling of accomplishment to break through a Galaxy defensive formation designed specifically to negate United’s leading goalscorer.
The Galaxy backline was anchored deep to limit any chances for Mattocks to receive passes beyond the defense that could lead to open chances for shots on goal. After drawing three fouls, pulling a shot wide, and seeing a fair share of passes get blocked or intercepted, Mattocks persisted and eventually found a way.
It’s that "finding a way" mentality that has been indicative of United’s attack in the 2018 campaign. Behind goalscorers Mattocks, Yamil Asad and Zoltán Stieber, and assist men like Paul Arriola and Luciano Acosta, the Black-and-Red offense has been shutout just one time on the season while recording seven multi-goal games, a stark contrast from the offensive woes of 2017. United have also shown their gritty willingness to fight their way through matches, as the Black-and-Red scored in the final moments against Houston, LAFC, and LA to secure last-second points.
Acosta, the team’s assist leader, contributes an element of shiftiness and creativity in the final third for United. The Argentine's assist on Stieber’s 27th-minute goal in Los Angeles was the 23rd of his D.C. United career, tying him with John Harkes for eighth all-time in franchise history.
Arriola, an energetic force on the wing playing his first full MLS season, has already upped his goal and assist numbers from his debut season, when he recorded one goal and two assists in 11 appearances. Using his speed and playmaker mentality, Arriola is effective at generating chances for himself and others down the flank or in the middle of the formation, which has led to two goals and six assists in 12 appearances this year, good for second in assists behind Acosta.
Stieber, another second-year MLS player acquired by the Black-and-Red late in the 2017 season, has also proved to be a valuable member of United’s attack in 2018, capable of both finishing chances and creating for others. After years of success in Germany, Stieber has continued to produce stateside with four goals and five assists in 20 appearances. His pinpoint accuracy has burned opposing goalkeepers on multiple occasions, while his sharp left foot allows him to switch the field at the drop of a dime or send perfectly-weighted balls through to streaking teammates on the counterattack.
With Acosta, Arriola and Stieber as key returnees from the 2017 campaign, United had three playmaking pieces in place for the 2018 season. The Black-and-Red sought additional players who could bolster the offense in the offseason, though, making an aggressive run at other attackmen after finishing 2017 tied for last in the league in goals scored with 31.
In December of 2017, United struck a deal with the Portland Timbers that landed Mattocks in the nation’s capital. Mattocks came to D.C. motivated to earn a starting spot and prove his offensive prowess after never fully breaking through in Portland. The Jamaican quickly showed head coach Ben Olsen that he deserved a significant role in the rotation, and Mattocks' relentless work in the offseason has paid off in the form of six goals in the last eight games and eight goals on the year. The forward's goal against the Galaxy in his last match broke his single-season high for goals since joining MLS.
Later in the offseason, a February trade with Atlanta United netted D.C. United Yamil Asad, the Argentine midfielder who excelled in his debut season with the expansion team. Looking to build off of his form in 2017 when he scored seven goals and led Atlanta with 13 assists, Asad's career in the Black-and-Red has begun just as the club hoped. In 14 matches, Asad has already matched his goal total from 2017 and has recorded two braces in the last three games. Combining particularly well with fellow countryman Acosta, Asad has shown his ability to complete key passes in the final third and his versatility in shifting between more central positioning and a spot on the wing.
In addition to United's five primary offensive contributors in 2018, the Black-and-Red also have stable depth of attacking options available in the rotation. Patrick Mullins is a proven goalscorer in MLS, while Ian Harkes, Bruno Miranda, Chris Durkin, and Ulises Segura are all young midfielders capable of developing into key attacking pieces as their careers progress.
With the recent addition of international star Wayne Rooney, a prolific goalscorer in the highest levels of competition in the world, Olsen and United are capable of fielding a daunting attack as they move into their new home at Audi Field. And as the offense continues to develop its chemistry ahead of the Black-and-Red's extended homestand, United's attack could emerge as one of the most productive and dangerous in the league during the second half of the season.
