With Danny Mwanga in fine form and completely healthy, Peter Nowak made the Mwagic Man his only change to the lineup that beat lost the first half to Chivas last week.

Two new boys for DC

DC United introduced both new acquisitions, with Brandon McDonald slotted into the back four and Dwayne de Rosario atop a midfield diamond.

De Rosario has been a bogeyman in the past for the Union, and he made his presence felt early. Off a corner, the midfielder won a header but placed it wide of the mark.

DC continued to pressure and in the 25th, it was de Rosario with a free kick from a spot similar to where he scored for Toronto in 2010. But the Canadian’s blast hit the wall and bounced away.

After Jordan Harvey picked up a yellow card for grabbing Charlie Davies, Danny Mwanga had a great chance to put the Union on top. Le Toux laid the ball across the box to Mwanga, and the young striker’s shot spun towards the corner, only to run into Hamid’s outstretched hand.

Mondragon hits head, Le Toux can’t hit anything

Chris Pontius was the most dangerous DC player all half, and his full volley off a loose header was well-saved by Mondragon at the near post. The goalie slammed his head into the woodwork on the play but recovered to stay in.

Le Toux then stepped to the forefront with a fine run that Paunovic found. The Frenchman was in alone but he scuffed his shot wide of frame and did a frustrated leap as Union fans hung their heads.

DC go on top, then tie it up

In the 44th, de Rosario and Wolff combined to put DC on top. De Rosario dribbled through the box on the left and faced up Williams. When Valdes came to help, de Rosario simply played the ball to an unmarked Wolff in the center to tap in.

The Union responded by moving Le Toux into a more central role in the second half. Playing well, Le Toux needed to remain involved, and he was pressuring Perry Kitchen when the young defender misplayed a Paunovic cross directly into his own goal.

The score tied, both teams stepped on the accelerator to look for a winner. Josh Wolff found space at the top of the box and played in Pontius, who saw his low shot deflected by Mondragon and cleared off the line by Califf with Davies charging in.

Najar nails it

It was Andy Najar, who had been somewhat of a peripheral player up to that point, that took the game by the scruff of the neck in the 58th. Taking the ball past Mwanga at the midfield line, Najar drove toward net with nary a blue shirt in sight. Arriving ten yards outside of the box, Najar unleashed a fine knuckler that beat Mondragon at the far post and returned the home team their lead.

Le Toux was involved again as he found space on the right to curl a fine cross onto Ruiz’s head. The Union striker could not take his best opportunity of the match, his header directly at Hamid from six out.

1-2-3 passing play finished by Ruiz

For a player dealing with a frustrating season, Seba Le Toux has persevered. And his persistence paid off in the 84th minute, when he found space for himself and played in Sheanon Williams making a wide run on the wing. Williams played a perfect ball across the face of goal that Carlos Ruiz bundled in by stepping through a DC defender.

The Union sat back and soaked up pressure for the last six minutes plus stoppage time.

One point on the road for the Union, and it was all they deserved. Once again this team relied on heart when talent should have been plenty. But the heart, as has been the case all season, was there. And even with Le Toux as the only standout player on the offensive ended (minus finishing), the Union walk out of RFK with a 2-2 tie.

While the Union’s defense was clearly below their high standard, DC United exposed weaknesses that everyone knew were there: Najar’s goal game when Brian Carroll was caught out and the DC winger had a free run through the Philadelphia half, Mapp and Le Toux push too high to offer good defensive shape against a team with a top-class creative force (which, unfortunately, deRo is).

And once again, the Union let a weaker team dictate play. It’s one thing to live by the counterattack, but it is another to defend without a strong shape and plan. The Union are living dangerously as they try to figure out how to become a side that can challenge for the cup. Here’s to hoping it all comes together soon!