Dc United 2-2 stalemate on Saturday evening against the Revs had a bit of everything and provided enormous story lines which could be the core focus the post match analysis.
That focus could act as the basis of further interpretation that DC United conceded early goals to start “each half,” Similitude to the early goal they conceded in the second half of last weekend's loss to the Red Bulls.
Probably, the main talking point could even be about the injury plague ravaging the Black and Red, and the fact that the team manager Ben Olsen made five unusual changes to his regular starting XI lineup.
Or probably the focus might rather be on DC United first-half turnaround, in which they went from being beaten up in the first 21 minutes to up 2-1 in the 29th minute.
What's the fact?
Last Saturday dishearten loss to New York Red Bulls, DC United conceded the winning goal just 40 seconds into the second-half. That strike indicated the end of the encounter for DC United, who would go on to give up the second tally for the Red Bulls 16 minutes later.
So there may have been a tension that something alike could have occurred when Lee Nguyen sent home an astounding header in the 6th minute on Saturday evening. Instead, this time, the Black and Red stifled themselves good enough.
They were apparently under consistent pressure after Lee Nguyen's strike but later found themselves on the counter offense in the 30th minute with a fantastic one-two punch.
Jared Jeffrey, who held his spot in the innermost midfield with Marcelo Sarvas, who came in for Acosta and got the opener for United with a well-taken volley from a visible distance at the top of the box following a corner kick.
Minutes afterward, the Black and Red were in the lead thanks to a Sebastien Le Toux clinical finish assisted by Lloyd Sam's fine through the pass.
For Sebastien Le Toux, it was both his first league goal and first major appearance with DC United.
United 'Big boys' out of action
It was somewhat the response from a club that had only recorded four goals in six matches coming into the encounter on Saturday evening and managed a side that barely looks like the usual starting XI lineup from the beginning of the season.
Obviously, injuries have impeded DC United of recent, and in this particular encounter with the Revolution, they played without featuring regulars: Patrick Mullins, Steve Birnbaum, Nick DeLeon and Patrick Nyarko. Another key player Jose Ortiz was also kept on the bench, perceivably due to his incapability to make an impact over the past couple of weeks.
Moreover, Acosta and Kemp were kept out of the starting lineup for “seemingly precautionary reasons.” Ultimately, DC United went on with a starting roster that comprises this season first timers Kofi Opare, Sebastien Le Toux and Lamar Neagle, in addition to the roster, Maxim Tissot replaced Kemp at the left back.
Despite current team circumstances DC United still showed what they're made of
So if you add all of these up; from the absence of several key players in the team, and DC United's lack of competency in front of goal this season, you might excuse yourself from thinking that DC United was actually in for a long night after Lee Nguyen's early opener.
Instead, this resilient Black and Red side displayed the kind of attitudinal mentality that has aided United to earn a playoffs spots in three consecutive seasons.
