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D.C. United, like its new stadium Audi Field, is a work in progress. But the team showed progress and character when midfielder Luciano Acosta scored a 97th-minute equalizer Saturday to pull out a 2-2 draw with the Houston Dynamo at Maryland SoccerPlex.
The ongoing construction of Audi Field forced United (0-1-2, 2 points) to play its first of two home-away-from-home games in front of an announced 5,128 spectators.
Shortly after an unexpected snow flurry fell over the field, Houston (1-1-1, 4 points) found the back of the net twice in two minutes. The first goal came in the 30th minute after a defensive miscommunication when Yamil Asad tried to head a ball back to goalkeeper David Ousted. Houston midfielder Alberth Elis got to the ball first and quickly tapped in the goal.
A minute later, Elis collected a ball in United’s half and assisted Mauro Manotas on the second Dynamo goal.
“[The team] is definitely a process. It is a brand new group,” D.C. defender Nick DeLeon said. “This year we have a real purpose and sense of direction of how we want to play as a team. We are trying to get on the same page.”
Part of that process is changing and testing different lineups. United played with a new backline combination against Houston. Defender Joseph Mora stepped in at left back for the first time.
“Defensively, that is not a fun matchup dealing with Elis,” Olsen said. “[Mora] did a very good job on him and also added to the attack. He gave us a dimension going forward.”
For the second time in a week, United allowed two goals in a matter of minutes. Last week, they lost to Atlanta 3-1. This week, they found the will to stage a comeback late in the second half.
“We gave up two soft goals,” forward Darren Mattocks said. “[The second half] was credit to the resilience of the group. We need to fight for all 90 minutes, and we did just that.”
With more than five minutes of stoppage time and down 2-1, United pushed every player, including Ousted, into Houston’s box on a set piece. The desperate play paid off when Acosta finished a bouncing second ball and sprinted toward the corner flag in celebration.
“In the second half, [Acosta’s] ability to get in the right spot for second balls was the best I have seen from him,” Olsen said. “In the past I have seen him be done with the play. Today he was moving with the play. When he does that it is going to help out guys like [Mattocks] and our attackers.”
Goal #DCU: Acosta scores the equalizer in the 7th minute of stoppage time. #DCvHOU 2-2 pic.twitter.com/ie1LYPftmm
— Emily Olsen (@EmilyTOlsen) March 17, 2018
Three games into the season, United is still a work in progress and Olsen is still testing different lineups. Last year, midfielder Paul Arriola was a regular starter after joining the team during the summer transfer window. Against Houston, Arriola came in as a substitute in the 67th minute for Zoltán Stieber.
“We have competition in the attacking spots,” Olsen said. “Stieber gives us more of a technical player that can connect passes and Arriola has the ability now to be a threat in behind and bring the energy that he has. They are different.”
D.C. United may not have its chemistry down, but it does have consistent character, which showed in the draw against Houston. With a losing record and a tough few weeks ahead, D.C. needs to find form before the completion of Audi Field in July.
“Everybody wants instant perfection,” Olsen said. “It is going to take time.”