WASHINGTON – D.C. United welcomed Sporting Kansas City to RFK Stadium on Saturday night, looking to extend a six-game unbeaten run and in the process seize sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference.
Stuck smack dab in the middle of the clogged Western Conference standings, Sporting looked to gain ground of their own: At gametime, eight clubs in the West found themselves within four points of conference-leading FC Dallas.
The two sides would share the spoils, playing to an entertaining 1-1 draw in front of 16,221 via goals from Jairo Arrieta and Dom Dwyer. The result leaves United tied with New England atop the east and extends their home unbeaten run to 17 across all competitions.
Sporting and United traded half-chances during the game’s opening ten minutes, with Sporting KC getting their first decent opportunity about 13 minutes in. A mis-hit clearance fell at SKC defender Jalil Anibaba’s feet and the fullback swung a cross over to Dwyer at the top of the 18-yard box, but the Englishman's low drive skimmed inches wide of the far post.
Sporting continued their push five minutes later, but midfielder Jacob Peterson's sliding volley off a Seth Sinoviccross caromed off the underside of the crossbar and bounced away from danger.
A few minutes later, US men’s national team midfielder Graham Zusi took his own shot at nabbing the game’s opener, but his low effort from 10 yards was pushed away from goal by a well-positioned Bill Hamid. Hamid would come up big again in the 30th minute, getting his hands on a close-range Benny Feilhaber shot that looked destined for the back of the net.
Against the run of play, United grabbed the opener in the 43rd minute. Defensive midfielder Perry Kitchen swung a perfectly-placed long ball into the area from 40 yards out, finding Chris Pontius at the far post. Pontius chested the ball and used his next touch to find a trailing Arrieta, who slotted it home from 10 yards out.
D.C.’s lead would be short-lived. Just a minute later, Honduran midfielder Roger Espinoza collected the ball 25 yards from goal, streaked towards the end line and sent in a cross towards Dwyer. The striker collected and finished with lethal quickness, turning and firing home from 12 yards out to equalize.
The goal broke a 397-minute-long scoreless rut for Sporting against D.C.
United would enjoy a bit more of the ball during the second half and almost went ahead in the 51st minute. Chris Rolfe’s meandering run towards the endline ended with a bent-in ball to the penalty spot. United midfielder Nick DeLeon couldn’t connect with the service, but Sean Franklin pushed the missed opportunity back towards the far post, where Pontius nodded it down to the edge of the six-yard area.
Davy Arnaud and Arrieta both lunged at the service, but neither could hammer the loose ball home.
In the 71st, second-half substitute Luis Silva played a ball to the top of the box which Rolfe volleyed goalwards, but the former Chicago Fire man’s driven effort was off-target, skimming over the crossbar.
In the 80th, fellow substitute Michael Farfan connected with DeLeon at the penalty spot, but his attempt at goal missed the mark as well.
Hamid was largely untested during the second half but was called into action in the 87th minute, when a Matt Besler long throw deflected off a United player and very nearly ended up as an own goal. The homegrown ‘keeper dove to his left, snagging the white bullet and denying Sporting’s best chance at a late winner.
D.C. face a quick turnaround, as they’ll welcome Orlando City SC to RFK on Wednesday night, while Sporting will return home to face the Colorado Rapids on Saturday evening.
