WASHINGTON — In the brisk February air, D.C. United began the 2020 Major League Soccer season with a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids in front of an announced 16,711 at Audi Field Saturday afternoon.
A late stoppage time goal from Jonathan Lewis sealed the victory for the away team. Contrary to its 2019 defensive form down the stretch, United gave up two late goals after scoring first. United ended 2019 with five consecutive clean sheets in the regular season.
“We are not used to giving up goals,” D.C. defender Steve Birnbaum said. “Giving up two in the first game is not what we want.”
It was a tale of two halves for the home team. United started the game with its new pressing identity and built out of the back, which was effective for the first 45 minutes.
While United shook off some preseason rust, Peruvian attacker Edison Flores and midfielder Julian Gressel meshed quickly. The two newest additions created the majority of United’s chances in the first half.
“I thought a lot of our promising attacks started through [Flores],” D.C. head coach Ben Olsen said. “He is going to be fun to watch.”
While attacker Ola Kamara handled the hold-up play inside the box, Gressel started the game centrally with Flores on the right flank. With his natural positioning out wide, Gressel moved between the center and right wing. Flores covered the space he left open.
“We played like that in the first half,” Gressel said of Flores. “He is a left footed player on the right wing so he likes to come inside. I think I give naturally a bit more width and I like going to the right. In that way, I think that is what the coaches want.”
United’s disallowed goal in the first half came from the pairing. In the 26th minute, Gressel sent a cross in front of goal for Flores to curl behind goalkeeper Clint Irwin. Referee Nima Saghafi waved the goal offside, something that plagued United during the course of the game.
“The first half we played well. We built the game well. We turned them over in some good spots,” Olsen said. “We were a little unlucky to not get the goal in the first half.”
Although United slowed down in the second half, defender Russell Canouse was able to get the opening goal from a set piece. In the 60th minute, Gressel stepped up to the corner flag while his teammates formed a line perpendicular to goal. Canouse pulled away from the Colorado defense to find space on the back post. He headed in the opening goal.
The Rapids were quick to equalize on a set piece of their own seven minutes later. United cleared the initial kick out of the box, but defender Drew Moor collected the ball in Colorado’s attacking third. Captain Jack Price served a long ball in front of goal for striker Kei Kamara to finish with a header past goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
“That is as good as I have seen him play in a long time. He seems pretty engaged and motivated,” Olsen said of Colorado’s Kamara. “Giving that many set pieces up to Colorado is dangerous. They are as good as any team in the league in that department.”
Colorado’s goal took the air out of United’s attack. Instead of looking for the go-ahead goal, United were hanging on to a 1-1 draw in the final minutes and ultimately conceded the game-winner in the 92nd minute.
“We got away from building the game and there were too many transition moments where we were running back and forth,” Olsen said. “We lost the middle of the park.”
Additionally, Flores — who provided much of United’s chances — came off in the 71st minute for Yamil Asad. Due to injury and Visa finalization, Flores did not participated in all of preseason preparation and was not yet 90 minutes fit. The change was the only one Olsen made.
“A lot of it had to do with set pieces. At that point, if you look at the bench, it’s not very tall,” Olsen said. “We put the best team out there that we have for set pieces.”
After the disappointment at home, United has a quick turnaround next week when it hosts Inter Miami CF on Saturday, March 7.
“It is the first of 34 games,” Gressel said. “There are still a lot of points to be earned.”