COLUMBUS, OHIO – D.C. United had found its stride at home this month, but questions lingered about this rebuilt club’s ability to earn points on the road.
United provided a partial answer Saturday night, carrying the lead into the 90th minute before conceding Hector Jimenez’s sensational equalizer for a 1-1 draw with the Columbus Crew before 11,437.
United (2-2-2) was on the verge of its first MLS regular season away victory since October 2012 when Jimenez gathered Wil Trapp’s cross-field pass and bent an 18-yard shot beyond Andrew Dykstra’s fully extended reach.
Fabian Espindola scored in the first half for United, which had a man advantage for the last 10-plus minutes after Bernardo Anor’s red card.
The draw extended D.C.’s unbeaten streak to four, but pushed its winless rut in central Ohio to seven and stretched its winless skid in league play to 19 games.
With Coach Ben Olsen fielding the same lineup that defeated New York last weekend, United continued strengthening bonds and combinations.
While Bobby Boswell, Jeff Parke and Perry Kitchen provided central resistance, disrupting forays and preventing the Crew (3-1-2) from testing Dykstra inside the penalty area, United was smart and patient in possession.
The only pain inflicted by Columbus was of a physical nature. Anor’s elbow opened a gash above United defender Sean Franklin’s right eye and a free kick struck Parke in the face, forcing a stoppage.
The breakthrough came in the 31st minute. Nick DeLeon took advantage of Federico Higuain’s heavy touch in midfield and made a merry run into space at the retreating defense.
With options on both sides, he pushed a diagonal ball to Espindola in stride and unmarked on the left side of the box for a ferocious, angled eight-yarder past goalkeeper Steve Clark.
United should have expanded the lead early in the second half on two sterling opportunities a minute apart: Espindola wasted a two-on-one counterattack with Chris Rolfe and DeLeon curled a 12-yarder just beyond the top corner.
The Crew’s first genuine chance came in the 56th minute when Jimenez missed wide from eight yards.
A minute later Lewis Neal, returning from suspension, replaced Rolfe (knee ailment).
United managed the match well, applying high pressure to prevent Columbus from launching the attack. When the Crew was in dangerous positions, Kitchen made timely tackles and Parke lunged to block a promising shot.
Chaos unfolded in the 71st minute. Eddie Johnson was taken down from behind by Giancarlo Gonzalez just beyond the penalty area after beating the Crew defender. With Johnson on a clear run at goal, United pleaded for a red card.
But after a long delay and a scuffle away from the discussion, referee Juan Guzman showed a yellow.
Ten minutes later, Anor saw red after a harsh challenge on Kitchen in midfield.
United absorbed pressure and seemed safe to secure three points until Jimenez’s strike past Dykstra, who was making his third straight start in place of injured Bill Hamid.
United notes: FC Dallas will visit RFK Stadium next Saturday night. . . . The next United-Crew meeting will take place June 7 at FedEx Field as part of a doubleheader with Spain’s World Cup squad facing El Salvador. . . .
Five D.C. players started for third-division Richmond in a 2-2 draw with Pittsburgh. Midfielder Kyle Porter scored on an assist from Taylor Kemp. Forward Michael Seaton departed in the first half with an apparent ankle injury. Jared Jeffrey and Conor Shanosky also were in the lineup.
● SPIRIT 3, FC KANSAS CITY 1: Canadian midfielder Diana Matheson scored twice in the first half and Annapolis native Christine Nairn struck on a free kick just before intermission as Washington (1-1-0) won the National Women’s Soccer League match at Maryland SoccerPlex.
Matheson scored in the fourth minute from close distance. Spirit goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris stopped Lauren Holiday’s penalty kick, but later, Amy Rodriguez equalized for Kansas City (0-1-1).
Matheson restored the lead from 22 yards in the 38th minute and Nairn stung a 23-yard free kick into the upper left side in the 45th. The Spirit will visit Seattle on Wednesday.