Taxi Fountas scored the game’s first three goals and D.C. United held on to defeat host Orlando City 5-3 and snap a six-game winless streak on Monday.
Fountas notched two goals in the first eight minutes and another in the 51st minute before Kimarni Smith and Nigel Robertha added late goals for D.C. (5-9-2, 17 points), which had gone nearly two months since winning. The visitors snapped an 0-4-2 skid.
Facundo Torres and Ercan Kara scored in a nine-minute stretch of the second half as Orlando City (7-7-4, 25 points) closed within 3-2. Alexandre Pato added a goal on an 80th-minute penalty kick to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Fountas, who had six goals in his past eight games entering play Monday, was taken out for a substitute in the 59th minute.
By game’s end, Orlando City had racked up 79.2 percent of the possession time but didn’t convert enough to get a positive result.
While Fountas has excelled for D.C., the team hadn’t won a game since topping the Houston Dynamo 2-0 on May 7. The team’s fourth goal reflected a season-high total and the biggest offensive burst came after D.C. United managed a total of three goals in their past three games combined.
Smith, in his second MLS season out of Clemson, produced his first league goal in transition with a strong left-footed blast from outside the top of the box. That sequence also helped quell some of Orlando City’s growing momentum and rebuild D.C.’s lead to 4-2.
It was 4-3 when Robertha tallied in extra time.
Drew Skundrich had two assists for D.C. United, and Chris Durkin, Michael Estrada, Julian Gressel and Donovan Pines had one apiece.
D.C. United goalie Rafael Romo had four saves.
Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made only one save.
Mauricio Pereyra provided an assist on Orlando City’s first goal. Torres delivered a cross that Kara converted on a header.
Pato’s penalty kick came after Brendan Hines-Ike committed a foul in the penalty area.
–Field Level Media
