D.C. United lost 4-1 to Toronto FC at BMO Field on Sept. 28.
After a first half that included incredible goals from both sides, United conceded three unanswered goals in the second half, two of which came in four minutes.
D.C. United (3-21-6, 15 points) head coach Ben Olsen rested most of United’s essential players, in preparation for Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup Final.
Looking to improve their road form, United took control early in the game and threatened the Toronto backline with ease.
In the 15th minute, midfielder Jared Jeffrey latched onto a defensive clearance from about 30 yards out, curling a left-footed strike right into the top left corner of the goal.
As time passed, United’s pressure cooled down and Toronto began to find their footing, evening the score 11 minutes after Jeffrey’s opening goal.
In the 26th minute, Toronto (5-15-11, 26 points) winger Bobby Convey sent in a pass on the right side of the United box, which was deflected into the air by the backline, only to find its way to Toronto’s midfielder Darel Russell, who with his back towards goal, chested down the ball and volleyed a no-look effort as he turned that beat United keeper Joe Willis.
Toronto carried the momentum of the goal into the break, and didn’t let up in the second half.
In the 67th minute, D.C. defender Marcelo Saragosa brought down one of Toronto’s player, but the referee allowed the game to continue. Toronto defender Mark Bloom pushed forward past the site of incident, before crossing the ball into the path of forward Bright Dike, who put the ball into the back of the net.
Four minutes later, Toronto winger Alvaro Rey sent in another dangerous cross from the outside of the box, which bounced off United defender Conor Shanosky into the goal to make it 3-1.
The game cooled down, and United, without any attempt at going forward or trying to counter, was able to contain the Toronto attack until the 87th minute.
Rey was once again on the ball, and after an impressive individual run that saw him dribble around multiple defenders, he fired a shot past D.C.’s Joe Willis to wrap up the game.
D.C. United will face Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah on Oct. 1 to determine this year’s U.S. Open Cup Champion.
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