Playing in their first match at RFK in over a month, D.C. United played to 1-1 draw against the Montreal Impact Sunday night in front of 16,728 fans. Midsummer acquisition Patrick Mullins scored his first goal of the year in his home debut as the Black-and-Red created chances all night, but had to settle for one point after Impact midfielder Hernan Bernardello scored late.
“I think that’s the best we played all year,” United defender Steve Birnbaum said. “Everyone looked after each other, I thought we pressed well as a group, put them on their heels and were on the attack the whole time…Obviously, it’s tough giving up a late goal that ties the game when we felt like we controlled it, but there are a lot of positives from the game."
The match remained scoreless until the 19th minute when Patrick Mullins headed Taylor Kemp’s lofted in-swinging cross into the top left corner for his first goal in a Black-and-Red uniform.
Only a week removed from playing 32 minutes in United’s previous game against Toronto FC as a substitute, Mullins led the line for United. Now in his third MLS season after a standout career at the University of Maryland, Mullins’ return to D.C. (and with former Terrapin teammate Taylor Kemp) has been a long time in the making.
“It was nice being back on the same page with someone I’m familiar with,” Mullins said. “When you get traded to a new team, even if it’s somewhere you want to go, it takes a little while to work out some kinks…As we all know, we have to come back and do it again next week."
In an open and energetic match, United created chance after chance and dominated possession. Argentine Luciano Acosta seemed to be everywhere, getting on the ball from deep, skipping past players and combining with teammates. Nick DeLeon, playing out wide because of injuries to Lloyd Sam and Lamar Neagle, was lively and almost notched his first assist of the year when he played a cutback to Acosta, but the effort was tipped over by Evan Bush.
“I thought we were great,” head coach Ben Olsen said. “It hurts that we only get a point out of playing great, but I told the group afterwards…there’s a lot of good here. That was a good performance…but we missed a lot of chances…Those guys are gutted for not getting three points, but I’m extremely encouraged.”
The 1-0 tally held true until Bernardello evened the score in the 86th minute for his first career MLS goal. Bernardello, who played for Montreal in the second half of 2013, only rejoined the team last Sunday and scored several minutes after Álvaro Saborío hit the crossbar at the other end.
Though Montreal’s late-game score left a disappointed United team on the field, the match marked several positives for the Black-and-Red, including new acquisition Kennedy Igboananike's first appearance and Patrick Nyarko in the starting lineup for the first time in over two months.
"It was good to see Patrick Nyarko back out there, and we had to bring in Igboananike in more of a defensive role out of necessity," Olsen said. "An unfortunate deflection off a set piece changed our outcome, but again, we're very encouraged."
Coming off a 4-1 loss to Toronto FC the week prior, United’s defense played well against one of the best offenses in the league, armed with MLS All-Stars Didier Drogba and Ignacio Piatti. Both players were held mostly in check throughout the match; the extent of Drogba's involvement was his red card ejection in the 81st minute for kicking out at midfielder Marcelo, and Piatti hit the post early in the first half.
Following Sunday’s draw, United remain in eighth place in the East and host the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, August 6 at 7 PM EST.
