United were in unfamiliar territory on Saturday, April 14 when they travelled 30 miles east to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md., to take on Columbus Crew SC. Both teams had the privilege of playing at a stadium constructed to honor members of the military for their brave and courageous service for their country. The significance of the venue added a different dimension to the match as the Black-and-Red looked to secure their first MLS win of 2018.
Under sunny skies with a cool breeze radiating throughout the stadium, it didn’t take long for United to use the new atmosphere to their advantage. A wonderful bit of build-up play from the Black-and-Red saw Luciano Acosta’s back heel fall into the path of Paul Arriola who poked it to Ulises Segura to arrow a shot into the bottom left corner for his first MLS goal. It took 43 seconds for United to find the back of the net and fans could tell this was going to be a memorable night in Annapolis.
While the goal showcased the cohesion and chemistry that head coach Ben Olsen has been waiting to see from the group of new players, the defensive resilience that followed was a testament to the team’s grittiness and desire to succeed.
Arriola’s challenge in the 51st minute saw referee Ismail Elfath go to the VAR booth and judge the tackle as red card worthy. United had 29 minutes plus stoppage time to reinforce the backline and maintain their 1-0 lead over Columbus; a team they hadn’t beat since a 3-0 win at RFK Stadium on Sept. 28, 2016.
Every United player on the field dug deep to stay disciplined and keep the Black & Gold at bay. Goalkeeper Steve Clark, in his first appearance of 2018, had a night to remember after pulling off five saves to preserve the Black-and-Red lead and earn an MLS Team of the Week selection in the process.
“He’s a character, he’s vocal and he wants to play and win everyday. He raises the level at training and that’s what you get with a guy that wants to win and hates losing," Ben Olsen, United head coach said. "Sometimes that’s the personality the game needs.”
Center backs Frédéric Brillant and Steven Birnbaum’s aerial dominance was another focal point as the defenders recorded 20 headed clearances between them; the most registered in a single game for the pair this season. With their backs against the wall towards the end of the match, Birnbaum and Brillant showed the league that they have the ability to quell top offenses in MLS. Segura contributed the lone goal of the game but his work rate in the United midfield gave the Black-and-Red 90 minutes of tenacious defending needed to limit chances for the Columbus attack.
"I think the team responded in a great way after the red card. It simplified the game for us and our only job at that point was to lock up the defense," said Olsen. "There were some individual performances from guys like Steven [Birnbaum] and Frédéric [Brillant] in the backline and Ulises [Segura] showed what he’s about as a player tonight."
Soccer is a game of margins and well-timed substitutions can be the difference makers for a team. Chris Durkin, Oniel Fisher and Kofi Opare came into the match and provided the additional defensive cover to keep Columbus off the score sheet. With time winding down, the substitutes' effort in the United half reinforced the backline and gave the Black-and-Red the final push they needed to get across the finish line and leave Annapolis with all three points.
