Dwayne De Rosario looks on after being subbed in stoppage time (Getty Images)
It used to be that the big rivalry for DC United was against the New York (or New York/New Jersey) team. However, if this match from last night is any indication, the rivalry between United and the Philadelphia Union is getting to a rather, shall we say healthy, stage.
The match was nothing if not contentious and controversial, and it was the Union who jumped out to the early lead. In the 8th minute Freddy Adu sent a ball in that found Carlos Valdes, whose shot was blocked by DC. Unfortunately for United the ball fell to an onrushing Brian Carroll for the Union, who popped it into the back of the net to make it 0-1 to the visitors.
DC struck back in the second half after the cards had begun to be dealt. Sheanon Williams picked up the first yellow of the match for Philly in the 37th, and it would come back to haunt him. DC got their first goal in the 57th minute, courtesy of a Union own goal. Branko Boskovic sent in a free kick that got by pretty much everyone except Union defender Amobi Okugo, who accidentally headed it into his own net to tie the match at one.
The controversy really kicked off in the 64th minute when United had a go ahead goal disallowed. Hamdi Salihi appeared to have scored as he poked the ball past Zac MacMath, but the referee ruled that Salihi interfered with the Union shot stopper. DC and their crowd weren't at all happy, and replays seemed to suggest that MacMath did not have control of the ball. Nevertheless, the match continued at 1-1.
However United would have a great chance to cinch up the points late, as the Union conceded a PK in the 86th minute. DC captain Dwayne De Rosario stepped up to take the spot kick and drilled it into the net to seemingly make it 2-1. The celebrations were short lived though as referee Mark Geiger rained on their parade once again. He ruled that both a DC and a Union player had encroached on the PK, so the kick had to be retaken. This time, the replays and still photos showed Geiger to be correct. DeRo had to wait as other Union players argued about the kick for several minutes, and finally missed the retake and the score remained 1-1.
The drama was nowhere near done though. In the confusion around the penalty kick, a fight ensued that saw Boskovic receive a red card and Gabriel Farfan and Roger Torres receive yellow cards for Philly. Then in the first minute of stoppage time, Emiliano Dudar got DC's second red after a nasty studs up tackle. Philly was not able to capitalize on the two man advantage though as just a couple of minutes later Williams got his matching orders after a second yellow card. The match descended into pushing, shoving, and near anarchy as Geiger finally blew the whistle and ended things at 1-1.
The argument going around DC this morning was that the encroachment call is "trifling" and should not have been called by Geiger, basically saying the Salihi's infraction didn't affect anything and should not have been called. This apparently comes from a USSF clarification on the LOTG. However, DC clearly had a player in the arc and Philly clearly had a player in the box when DeRo struck the kick. However FIFA law 14 clearly states that if a player from both teams encroach, the kick must be retaken. Add to that the fact that Geiger warned the players before hand about encroachment, and there's no surprise that it was called. In the end, the referee doesn't take the kick, and had DeRo hit the second attempt, this conversation would not be happening.
I doubt that it will make DC United fans feel better though, but the point does put DC back into the playoff places in the east, 1 point ahead of Montreal.
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