April 5, 2008 MLS DC United vs Toronto FC (from MLSnet.com)

04/05/2008 10:08PM
D.C. pours it on in 4-1 win over TFC
Emilio helps lead United's offense as team rolls over TFC
By Charles Boehm / MLSnet.com Staff

WASHINGTON -- D.C. United ended a two-game scoreless streak in style with a 4-1 destruction of Toronto FC at RFK Stadium on Saturday night, notching their first league win of the season on the strength of goals from Luciano Emilio, Santino Quaranta, Marcelo Gallardo and captain Jaime Moreno, who came off the bench to make his first appearance of the MLS season in the second half.

United came out with attacking intent right from the opening whistle and were rewarded almost instantly as Luciano Emilio grabbed his team's first league goal of 2008 with less than two minutes gone.

First Clyde Simms headed a soft Toronto clearance back towards the visitors' penalty box, and a leaping Devon McTavish got the slightest of touches with his head to flick the ball backwards into Emilio's path. Marco Velez tried to clear but was unable to, and Emilio slipped inside of the Puerto Rican international to roll a quick shot under the advancing Sutton, who got a deflection but could not keep the ball from trickling into the net.

The stunned Canadians' woes were doubled just minutes later on another scoring sequence that began with good work from last year's MLS Golden Boot winner. Emilio turned and found space along the left channel to hammer a right-footed blast towards the upper corner of goal from 19 yards out, beating TFC goalkeeper Greg Sutton handily, only for the ball to clang off the crossbar.

But the rebound was attacked well by the Black-and-Red as McTavish tried a header that Sutton palmed right to Quaranta, who stroked a tidy finish just inside the right post to give United a 2-0 advantage and spark euphoria among the RFK faithful.

TFC didn't test Zach Wells in the D.C. goal until the 15th minute -- but it was a chance Jeff Cunningham should have put away, as the pacey frontrunner popped up unmarked in the United box only to tamely nod Carl Robinson's cross right at Wells.

Simms drew a sharp save out of Sutton 20 minutes in with a drive from distance, but United found themselves stretched at the other end as Toronto raced forward quickly, with a lunging Danny Dichio narrowly missing out on a defense-splitting diagonal ball into the D.C. penalty area.

But two minutes later the match turned ugly in a flash when Kevin Harmse chopped down Gonzalo Peralta with a harsh two-footed tackle in midfield, leaving the Argentinean writhing in pain. Referee Mark Geiger showed no hesitation in sending off Harmse, and now TFC was two goals and one man down.

Toronto were laboring to haul themselves back into the match and nearly pulled a goal back when newcomer Laurent Robert set up Cunningham with a booming free kick from 45 yards out that first looked to have been overhit, only to drop down just short of the endline. The Jamaican-born U.S. international powerfully volleyed goalward from a sharp angle, only for it to come back off the crossbar.

United had been pushed onto the back foot, but soon gave the visitors a reminder of their attacking menace with a flowing move forward that led to Fred crossing from the left endline for Emilio, whose close-ranger header was denied by a spectacular reaction save from Sutton as the Canadian got his left glove up just in time to parry the Brazilian's effort.

Despite limited appearances for his last club, English Premier League strugglers Derby County, Robert's left foot was looking as cultured as ever in his first-ever MLS action. He created a couple of decent chances for Toronto with set piece opportunities on either side of the half-hour mark, first testing Wells with a long-range daisy-cutter, then driving a bending shot into the D.C. wall just outside the box.

In the 40th minute it was D.C. playmaker Gallardo's turn to threaten off a free kick, whipping a drive towards the far post that was gloved acrobatically -- and cleanly -- by a sprawling Sutton.

After a two-game scoring drought the Black-and-Red attack had finally come alive, and there was no respite in sight for their Canadian foes as D.C. coach Tom Soehn brought all-time MLS scoring leader Jaime Moreno in to replace Burch for the second stanza. The substitution prompted United's back line to shift into a three-man look with Fred dropping deep to cover Gonzalo Martinez's left flank as necessary.

Moreno's entry had given the home side another skilful attacking option and he did not take long to strike up an intuitive understanding with Emilio, Fred and Gallardo. Five minutes into the second half the trio combined to set up McTavish with a clear look at goal from the right side, drawing a neat save from Sutton, then found paydirt a moment later with another fluid passing move that left the static TFC back line for dead.

Advancing down the left channel, Gallardo, Moreno and then Emilio switched the ball along the top of the 18-yard box with lightning speed, and McTavish dropped an inviting layoff into Quaranta's path. His cross-shot flashed across the face of goal and fell perfectly for Gallardo, who used perfect timing to slip behind the Reds' defense and meet the ball with a simple left-footed finish at the far post.

Robert had been with his new team less than a week yet was doing his level best to salvage something from the match, working hard to create a shot in the 62nd minute only to punch the turf in frustration as Wells went low to gobble up the bid.

Quaranta looked to have set Emilio up for his second of the night in the 64th, but his short-range finish was waved off as Geiger saw the offside flag raised on the far touchline.

Substitute Franco Niell had barely come on before he tried to join the goal-scoring party, even though his move led to United's fourth. Niell broke in behind the TFC defense and seemed certain to cap his run with a goal, but could not get the ball onto his right foot to fire goalward. Moreno glided in to take possession, however, and did what Niell would not, dragging the ball to his left and coolly rolling a tidy finish just inside the far post for his 113th career goal.

Toronto salvaged a bit of pride in the late going as Maurice Edu looped a well-placed header over the diving Wells and into the upper left-hand corner of the goal, running the final score to 4-1 in favor of the hosts.

United now look ahead to Wednesday night's crucial CONCACAF Champions' Cup semifinal second leg at RFK, where they will hope their goal bonanza continues as they seek to overturn the two-goal aggregate lead held by Mexican side Pachuca CF. Toronto FC remain on the road for their third successive week to open the season, traveling to face the LA Galaxy.

Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.

Toronto FC (0-2-0) vs. D.C. United (1-1-0) 
April 05, 2008 -- RFK Stadium 

Scoring Summary: 
DC -- Luciano Emilio 1 (unassisted) 2
DC -- Santino Quaranta 1 (unassisted) 5
DC -- Marcelo Gallardo 1 (Santino Quaranta 1, Devon McTavish 1) 52
DC -- Jaime Moreno 1 (Franco Niell 1, Fred 1) 78
TOR -- Maurice Edu 1 (Jim Brennan 1) 88

Toronto FC -- Greg Sutton, Marvell Wynne, Tyrone Marshall, Marco Velez, Jim Brennan, Carl Robinson, 
Maurice Edu, Kevin Harmse, Laurent Robert (Tyler Rosenlund 83), Jeff Cunningham (Andrea Lombardo 64), 
Danny Dichio (Tyler Hemming 83), 

Substitutes Not Used: Andrew Boyens, Brian Edwards, Julius James, Pat Phelan

D.C. United -- Zach Wells, Bryan Namoff, Gonzalo Martinez, Gonzalo Peralta, Marc Burch (Jaime Moreno 46), 
Devon McTavish, Marcelo Gallardo (Rod Dyachenko 56), Clyde Simms, Fred, Luciano Emilio (Franco Niell 77), 
Santino Quaranta, 

Substitutes Not Used: Jose Carvallo, Domenic Mediate, Pat Carroll, Dan Stratford

 D.C. United Toronto FC 
total shots: 18 (Luciano Emilio 5)  9 (Jeff Cunningham 3,
 Laurent Robert 3)  
shots on goal: 11 (Luciano Emilio 3)  6 (Laurent Robert 3)  
fouls: 13 (Gonzalo Peralta 3,
 Rod Dyachenko 3)  11 (Tyrone Marshall 2,
 Carl Robinson 2)  
offsides: 4 (4 tied with 1)  1 (Danny Dichio 1)  
corner kicks: 4 (Marcelo Gallardo 3)  5 (Laurent Robert 4)  
saves: 5 (Zach Wells 5)  7 (Greg Sutton 7)  

Misconduct Summary: 
TOR -- Jeff Cunningham (caution; Game Disrepute) 13
TOR -- Kevin Harmse (ejection; Serious Foul Play) 22
DC -- Marc Burch (caution; Game Disrepute) 22
DC -- Gonzalo Peralta (caution; Tackle from Behind) 32
TOR -- Maurice Edu (caution; Game Disrepute) 50

referee: Mark Geiger
Referee's Assistants: Craig Lowry; Peter Balciunas
4th official: Andrew Chapin
time of game: 1:48
attendance: 20,161
weather: Partly Cloudy -and- 61 degrees

All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial

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