May 9, 2009 MLS DC United vs Toronto FC (from MLSnet.com)
Toronto FC earns first ever point at RFK Stadium
DeRo scores two in second half
MLSnet.com Staff
By Douglas McIntyre / MLSnet.com Staff
WASHINGTON -- Don't look now, but Toronto FC is officially on a roll. The Reds earned their first ever point at RFK Stadium with a 3-3 draw against D.C. United on Saturday night.
And, they could have escaped the U.S. capital with all three in the bag if not for a late handball call that set up Jaime Moreno's equalizer from the penalty spot in second-half stoppage time.
"What a game," said TFC interim boss Chris Cummins after the six-goal thriller in which five strikes came in the second half.
"We're disappointed we didn't win the game, of course we are. It just shows what type of team we've got."
Dwayne De Rosario scored two second-half goals on either side of teammate Adrian Serioux's tally to put TFC in a position to win until the bitter end.
Still, Cummins wasn't about to criticize referee Baldomero Toledo's decision to point to the spot after the ball caromed off TFC right back Marvell Wynne's arm at the death.
"Listen, penalties go for you, penalties go against you. It's come up, hit his hand -- I think it's a penalty. And he has got to give that ... it's as simple as that."
Of course, that was little consolation to Wynne, who had a similar call go against him in Toronto's last away game, a 3-2 loss at FC Dallas on April 19.
In D.C., the home team dominated the opening 45 minutes, going ahead on Ange N'Silu's first career goal in the ninth minute. But they couldn't net another before the break, and after the intermission TFC came out flying.
"We didn't play well enough in the first half," admitted Cummins.
"The second half we got the shape right and we played with a lot more energy, a lot more enthusiasm, a lot more quality. We started getting the second ball and we gave them problems."
The second half display was even more impressive considering that several members of the squad were battling food poisoning, according to Cummins. Midfielder Carl Robinson sat out the match, and Serioux and striker Danny Dichio, who came on as a second-half sub, were also under the weather.
De Rosario created his first goal out of nothing, chasing down 'keeper Stefan Frei's long dropkick. De Rosario's second, which came less than a minute after D.C.'s Chris Pontius had evened the score at 2-2, was a thing of beauty.
"It was just a great individual goal, but that's what De Ro does," said Cummins. "I thought it was going to be the winner."
Argentinean striker Pablo Vitti replaced the ineffective Chad Barrett at halftime. Vitti had started the pervious four matches, including the midweek Canadian Championship win against the USL's Vancouver Whitecaps.
"He's played three or four on the trot now, and it was nothing to do with the way he's played. It was to give him a bit of a rest," said Cummins.
"I told him I'd need him in the second half and he's come on and had a good game."
And even though they gave up that late penalty that cost them two points, somehow this wasn't one of those ties that feels like a loss.
"We came out of here with a point, and scored three goals away from home," said De Rosario. That's good."
Added Jim Brennan, the TFC captain: "We haven't been beaten now in awhile."
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