Led by Ben Olsen in DC’s return, Houston Dynamo dominates DC United

Today, of course, it’s not the former United manager who calls the shots, that responsibility lies with first-year boss Troy Lesesne. With Olsen managing the visiting Dynamo, Lesesne took his place about 20 meters to Olsen’s right in the technical area reserved for the visiting coach before DC reversed the situation this season.

By the time the final whistle blew, Olsen still had plenty to cheer for. Lesesne, for his part, could only lower his head and put his hands in his pockets. After Christian Benteke’s penalty gave United the lead before half-time, Sebastián Ferreira’s second-half hat-trick and a late strike from Gabe Segal secured three points for Dynamo (7-6-6) , thus extending DC’s winless streak to eight (0-6). -2).

United’s comeback efforts were hampered by a reckless red card for Benteke – the Belgian striker responsible for more than half of the club’s goals this season – for confronting referee Tim Ford in the 66th minute.

Olsen was coaching his first game at Audi Field since his firing in October 2020, ending his 10-year tenure on the sidelines and a 23-year relationship with the club as a player or coach. After failing to win a playoff game in his last five seasons with United nor a trophy in his last six, Olsen achieved both in his inaugural campaign overseeing Dynamo, leading the club to the Western Conference final and a run at the US Open Cup title. .

United, meanwhile, has been a revolving door: Lesesne is the club’s third full-time coach since Olsen’s departure, and DC (4-9-7) didn’t field anyone against Dynamo who played under Olsen .

Lesesne’s squad struck first. Benteke and Jacob Murrell executed a give-and-go in transition before Benteke lured goalkeeper Steve Clark out of position, spun towards goal and forced Houston midfielder Artur to pull him down for a penalty . Shaking Clark with a stuttering step, Benteke powered his kick up the middle in the 38th minute for his 14th goal.

Dynamo equalized with a penalty of their own in the 51st: Ferreira’s header deflected off the arm of United substitute Matai Akinmboni, the referee pointed to the spot, and Ferreira sent DC goalkeeper Tyler Miller the wrong way. Houston took the lead three minutes later, when the ball ricocheted around the DC box and Ferreira pushed his rolling offering into the side netting. The strike stood despite United’s appeals for a foul in the build-up as Dynamo’s Amine Bassi sent Matti Peltola tumbling to the turf.

United’s hopes of salvaging a result were dashed when Benteke was sent off. After receiving a yellow card for recklessly colliding with Houston defender Griffin Dorsey, the league’s second-highest scorer recklessly confronted Ford, who didn’t hesitate to pull a red card from his back pocket.

Ferreira iced the victory in the 86th, collecting a cross from former United winger Brad Smith and putting a 12-yard shot past Miller. A second yellow for Akinmboni in stoppage time reduced United to nine men for the game’s demoralizing final minutes, during which Segal capped the scoring with a tally.

Here’s what else to know about United’s loss:

United fell to 3-5-3 at Audi Field. On the day Washington hit 100 degrees for the first time in nearly eight years, 17,993 people braved the heat for the 7:30 p.m. kickoff. But a lively environment wasn’t enough for United to earn its first home win since April 27 against Seattle – an 0-3-3 run at Buzzard Point.

DC will meet the New York Red Bulls next Saturday in Harrison, New Jersey before hosting FC Cincinnati on July 3. Benteke and Akinmboni will miss the match against New York as they are serving red card suspensions.

Martín Rodríguez, a Chilean midfielder who missed the 2023 campaign due to a torn ACL, made his first start since October 2022 as one of three changes from the team that fell to Atlanta on Wednesday, 1 -0.

Rodríguez’s arrival was part of a tactical change for United, who came out in 4-4-2 after using a five-man backline in recent weeks. He joined Peltola, Mateusz Klich and Ted Ku-DiPietro in midfield, and Jared Stroud was on the bench after starting United’s first 19 games.

Midfielder Jackson Hopkins (lower back) and striker Kristian Fletcher (ankle) remained sidelined for United, who replaced Garrison Tubbs in first-half stoppage time after a clash with teammate Cristian Dájome left the rookie with blood streaming down his face.

Miller started for the second straight game, three days after making his season debut against Atlanta. The goaltender earned an All-Star berth last summer before a shoulder injury in August ended his season and sidelined him for the start of 2024.