D.C. United defeated Liga Deportiva Alajuelense 1-0 for the second time in four days to win the inaugural Capital Cup 2-0 on aggregate.
Hernán Losada started with Jon Kempin in goal with Steven Birnbaum, Frederic Brillant, and Tony Alfaro as the back three. Jacob Greene and Joseph Mora played as the wingbacks and Felipe Martins and Moses Nyeman were partnered in midfield. Yamil Asad, Griffin Yow, and Nigel Robertha played as the front three.
United started the match the better of the two sides and their first chance to get on the scoresheet came in the in the 17th minute as Griffin Yow got in behind the Alajuelense defense, only to see his shot fly just over the bar. Five minutes later, Nigel Robertha played Yamil Asad through with a clever ball, but his attempt to round the keeper was denied. The visitors quickly countered and nearly took the lead in the 23rd minute, but Jon Kempin stood strong and blocked an attempt from in-close. Nigel Robertha, who has scored two goals in his last two starts, almost broke the deadlock as his well-struck effort from just outside the eighteen was tipped onto the post by the Alajuelense keeper. On the stroke of halftime, Kempin was called into action once more as he reacted well to parry away an Alajuelense effort after a goal mouth scramble. The two sides went into the break level, 0-0.
The Black-and-Red started the second forty-five just how they began the match, on the front foot. Felipe nearly opened the scoring in the 48th minute as his first-time effort off a ball from Jacob Greene whistled narrowly over the bar. The breakthrough came in the 68th minute when Jovanny BolÃvar cleverly beat two defenders and coolly slotted home from just inside the eighteen. United almost doubled their lead just three minutes later as BolÃvar linked up with Kairou Amoustapha, only to see the linesman’s flag raised to call it back for offsides. The match ended 1-0 in D.C. United’s favor and the Black-and-Red came out on top 2-0 over the course of the two-legged Capital Cup.
D.C. United return to Major League Soccer action on Saturday, July 17 when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Union at 7:30 p.m. EST. The match will be broadcast live in English on NBC Sports Washington and on www.dcunited.com and is available live in Spanish on TeleXitos.
