Union beat United, take sole possession of first
Richie Marquez scored his first Major League Soccer goal in spectacular style, and in doing so he helped the Union gain sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference.
Richie Marquez scored his first Major League Soccer goal in spectacular style, and in doing so he helped the Union gain sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference.
Charging the goal, Marquez one-timed a Sebastien Le Toux cross from seven yards out in second-half stoppage time to give the Union a 1-0 Major League Soccer win over D.C. United before 17,364 Friday night at Talen Energy Stadium.
The Union (5-3-3, 18 points) moved into first place, one point ahead of New York City FC.
Both the Union and United made several serious runs in a second half of end-to-end action.
For the game-winner, Marquez made a run from his center back position and was unmarked. Le Toux sent a cross from the right side and in one motion Marquez drilled it in for his first goal in his 31st career MLS game.
"The ball came in from Seba [Le Toux], and I just judged it and got my foot on it," Marquez said.
It was the first goal scored by Marquez since he put one in last July in a 4-1 loss to visiting Bournemouth of the English Premier League during a friendly.
"It was a good feeling," Marquez said about his first MLS goal. "I am a defender, I don't score often, and now I know what forwards feel like. It feels good."
What is interesting is that coach Jim Curtin and his staff are constantly telling Marquez to take some chances and make some runs on goal.
"Richie was committed to getting in the box and actually scored a pretty difficult goal," Curtin said. ". . . Happy for him to get his first goal, but most happy for the zero at home."
The Union are 2-0-3 in their last five games after recording their third shutout and improving their home record to 4-0-2.
United fell to 3-5-4.
The best chance in the scoreless first half came on a Union pass that ended up hitting the post.
In the 28th minute, Tranquillo Barnetta sent a long free kick from the left side of the field toward the far post. The pass skipped by the defense and hit the post on a bounce.
The Union had a golden chance in the 51st minute. Le Toux was all alone near the goal but couldn't control a controllable rebound.
In the 59th minute, Barnetta sent Chris Pontius on goal on a nice give-and-go, but United keeper Travis Worra came off his line strong and punched out the ball before Pontius could get to it.
Union keeper Andre Blake kept the game scoreless with an outstanding save of a bicycle kick near the goal by Saborio in the 63rd minute.
"It was kind of an acrobatic kick for him, and luckily I was in a good spot following the ball all the way across the goal and I was able to make the play," Blake said.
Union defender Fabinho left the game in the 71st minute and was replaced by Ray Gaddis. Curtin said that Fabinho had calf cramps.
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