Philadelphia Union gained their first ever MLS victory in a pulsating encounter at the Eagles' Lincoln Financial Field. 34,870 fans, including a healthy contingent from Washington DC, saw them overcome United by 3-2. They took the lead through Frenchman Sebastien Le Toux in under 200 seconds as the six-footer from Britanny rose to head in a Roger Torres cross. (see video below). It was the club's first ever goal. Now Le Toux is a double history maker, as he was also MLS Seattle Sounders' first ever player.
Philadelphia continued to play the better football and were thoroughly deserving of their, and Le Toux's second, in the 40th minute, when Alejandro Moreno supplied a through pass, and the man from the same town as Mohammed Sisoko beat two defenders to ram home the second.
Trailing 0-2 at half time, DC United frankly seemed in disarray after opening the season with two losses. But they were not to be discounted.
In the space of seven minutes, they clawed back the Union's lead, firstly in minute 63 when Santino Quaranta curled a neat left-footed drive past Chris Seitz in the Union goal. Seven minutes later came a very controversial goal. Seitz was about to clear with a drop kick, and substitute Jaime Moreno hindered him, and seemed to kick the ball literally out of his hands, although replays showed no contact, and Seitz merely dropped it under his pressure. Free kicks are usually awarded against a forward in such situations but Terry Vaughn allowed play to continue, and Moreno rolled the ball into an empty net.
It should have been an earth-shattering blow to the inexperienced newbies, whose coach had vacated the touchline as a mark of respect to the Polish President and co-passengers who tragically died in an aircraft accident.
But nine minutes later, Le Toux changed the game back again. Dejan Jakovic pulled Moreno back just outside the area, rightly receiving a red card for the challenge. Le Toux hammered the free kick into the left hand corner of Troy Perkins’ net.
Le Toux scored the first hat trick of the season, and his three goals put him in second place in the goal scoring charts behind LA Galaxy's Edson Buddle who scored two more in the LA club's 2-0 win over Houston. Shortly after, New England's Zack Schilawski also scored a hat trick and joins Le Toux and RSL's Javier Morales on three goals.
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Links:
Seb Le Toux Looks Forward to Life with Philly on His Farewell Appearance on the Radio Sounders Show - (hosted by me!)
Photo: "Il ne regrette rien". Seb in the Radio Sounders Studio. (Clancy Duggan)
Comments
First, DC never had nor regained a lead. Second, Moreno never touched the ball in Seitz's hands. Seitz fumbled and dropped the ball. Moreno scores.
Wrong and right. I never said they clawed back and regained the lead, but that they clawed back Philly's lead. As you clearly watched the game, I am not quite sure what purpose deliberately misinterpreting an article, and then making a comment based on your own misinterpretation, serves.
No wonder you choose anonymity. ;-)
On your second point, I reviewed the incident and you are correct, so I changed the article to reflect that. Thanks for pointing it out.
Always happy to be put right when I get it wrong, so keep it coming.
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