WASHINGTON -
Union coach Jim Curtin couldn't have asked for a better start against the best team in the Eastern Conference.
Only 21 seconds into the match, Union forward C.J. Sapong fielded a pass in the middle of the box, shed his defender like an elusive NFL running back and fired a rightfooted shot past D.C. United goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra for an unusually early lead at RFK Stadium yesterday.
Sapong's goal was the fastest in Union history and seventh-fastest in MLS history, not to mention the fastest in the league this season.
Three minutes later, midfielder Sebastien Le Toux made what looked like a pass to Sapong, who was knifing through the middle of the box, but the ball went untouched and rolled all the way to the back of the net for a two-goal lead.
"It was a lucky goal, but I'll take it for sure," Le Toux said.
Leading by two goals only 4 minutes into the match, Curtin's group was off to an incredibly fast start.
But was it too fast?
Despite a red-hot start, the Union failed to score in the final 86 minutes of regulation and three minutes of extra time. D.C. United, meanwhile, scored three unanswered goals, topped by a beautiful volley from Fabian Espindola in the 79th minute, to beat the Union, 3-2, yesterday.
"We obviously had a great start to the game, guys came out with energy," Curtin said. "You knew, though, with the early goals, that D.C. was going to wake up, and they're a team of quality so they're going to come at us and get some chances. We didn't do a good job holding on, but it's not for a lack of effort."
The momentum started to shift in D.C. United's favor in the 32nd minute when Union defender Ray Gaddis was called for a foul in the box for tripping midfielder Davy Arnaud. The Union players protested the call vehemently but to no avail, as Espindola stepped up to take the penalty shot for D.C. United.
The Union dodged an early bullet as Espindola's shot soared over the crossbar and into the first row of seats. But the 30-year-old Argentinian would not go quietly into the night.
After a 37th-minute goal from Alvaro Saborio and a 66th-minute goal off a rebound by Nick DeLeon tied the game at two goals apiece, Espindola scored the winner on a midair header off a looping cross from defender Chris Korb.
Just a minute before Espindola's goal, though, Sapong had a chance of his own for a go-ahead strike.
Defensive captain Maurice Edu played the ball through the defense and set up Sapong for an open run at the goal with only the goalie in front of him. Dykstra noticed his disadvantage and aggressively pursued the ball in a race of sorts with Sapong.
The Union's leading goal scorer reached the ball first, but his rightfooted chip on an open net was a bit too high, banging off the crossbar.
"I figured he would get there either before me or a little bit later so I felt like I just needed a little chip," Sapong said of his chance. "I didn't quite want to chip it as much as I did, still thought it was going in, but . . . it didn't. And, for a player like me I try to take pride in those opportunities I get, and there's nothing I can do about it now, just got to try to put in the next one."
With yesterday's loss, the Union missed out on a chance to move into the top six of the Eastern Conference standings, falling from seventh to ninth place; two points behind the Montreal Impact, New York City FC and Orlando City (all with 24 points).
The Union is now 2-2 against top-seeded D.C. United this season, with each team sweeping its home games.
"The only difference in all four games has been heart, whoever wanted it more," Sapong said. "At the end of the day it's just that - heart. You have to have that desire to come off the field with the three points, and I think the two games that we played them here, they showed a little more desire."
Next up for the Union is an MLS regular-season matchup against the New York Red Bulls at 7 p.m. Saturday, at PPL Park.
