– by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief
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HARRISON, NEW JERSEY — D.C. United saw their talismanic striker leave because of an injury in the first half, though all that did was also inspire the team’s other attacking option assume the starring role, and João Peglow made his star turn into a superstar performance on Saturday evening.
The Brazilian scored two goals for D.C. United in the first half on its way to defeating the New York Red Bulls 2-1 inside Sports Illustrated Stadium. The second of his two goals was a stunning bicycle kick-like overhead volley in the 44th minute that proved to be the game-winner.
D.C. United won its second game of the season — its first away from home — as it snapped a five game winless streak in the process (0-1-4).
Peglow, an offseason acquisition from Poland’s top division side Radomiak Radom, was thrust into leading the line after Christian Benteke, Major League Soccer’s golden boot winner from last season, departed the game just before the the half-hour mark with an injury. Six minutes on from the substitution, Peglow scored the first of his brace, winning a header by from keeper Luis Barraza by nodding the ball past center back Timothy Parker before racing to the net and sending a strike to the far corner past Red Bulls keeper Carlos Coronel in the <35th minute.
The headed self pass to lose his defender was exquisite, but he outdid himself 10 minutes later when be set himself underneath a header in the box by teammate and defender Aaron Herrera and executed a perfect overhead kick with his right foot that nestled just inside the far post and into the net to double D.C. United’s lead.
Another offseason acquisition who plays in attack, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting halved the Red Bulls’ deficit with his fourth goal of the season in the 57th minute. New York couldn’t create enough clear-cut opportunities in the final half hour in its attempt to rescue a point, with its best chance coming when an Emil Forsberg strike from the top of the box was blazed over the ball in the second minute of stoppage time.
*Editor’s note: Above the byline is the photo gallery from Saturday evening’s game, with photos taken by ALOST staff photographer Scott Rausenberger. After clicking on a photo to enlarge the picture, press the left and right arrow buttons on either side of the caption to scroll through the rest of the pictures that appear on the first page. Also, click on the numbers and/or arrow appearing immediately below the picture grid to load the next set of photos. There are 25 pictures in total.
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