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MLS D.C. United

United Feels at Home in Rochester

June 23, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
D.C. United News Release


Jaime Moreno and Freddy Adu scored goals and D.C. united cruised to a 2-0 exhibition victory over the A-League Rochester Rhinos before a frenzied 14,426 at Frontier Field. Visiting the A-Leagues top club, United controlled play throughout the night with Troy Perkins and Nick Rimando combining for a clean sheet.

Moreno struck just four minutes into the match. Being pressured by Earnie Stewart outside of his penalty are, Rhinos goalkeeper Theo Zagar played a poor clearance along the left sideline. Moreno controlled the ball and fired a 40-yard chip into the far side-netting for a 1-0 lead. Settling into a smaller playing surface set into a baseball stadium, United struggled to string together passes early on. The club would later recover by playing along the flanks and sending several dangerous crosses into the box. Moreno and Alecko Eskandarian both had chances to extend the first half lead stripped away by goal-saving tackles inside the penalty area. Stewart later sent Bobby Convey behind the Rhinos' defense. The U.S. international found Eskandarian at the near post, but his deflection settled in the outside of the cage.

The exhibition also marked the return of United midfielder Dema Kovalenko to his hometown. A graduate of Greece Arcadia High School was honored at the half as the city's "favorite soccer son." An emotional Kovalenko thanked the fans in attendance for their support of the sport, hugging his family close as he was presented a plaque.

Wholesale changes came before the second stanza, but United continued to create quality chances through quick ball movement. Jamal Sutton, a guest player from the Columbus Crew, gained the end line before sending a quality cross that was headed just wide by Josh Gros. Kovalenko ‘s cross minutes later was just beyond a lunging Gros in front of an open net.

Kovalenko's effort was rewarded in the 70th minute. After corralling a weak clearance by substitute keeper Soren Johnson near midfield, the Rochester-native strode through the center of the park before feeding Adu for a calm left-footed finish. Sutton nearly added a third late in the game, but his whirling right footed blast mpassed just outside the right post.

The Rhinos played hard to the end, but the home side's two best chances were cleared from harm's way by Brandon Prideaux and Mike Petke, leaving Rimando without needed to make a save in preserving the shutout.

D.C. will next be in action next Saturday afternoon when they travel to Dallas to take on the Burn at the Cotton Bowl for a 4 p.m. ET kickoff (ESPN2).

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