In the MLS dominated by Golden Boot winner Christian Benteke, Joao Peglow appeared as the unlikely hero of DC United, winning the New York Red Bulls 2-1 on Saturday night, winning a brace in Harrison, New Jersey.
It was a much-anticipated victory as DC (2-4-3, 9 points) snapped a four-game losing streak and finished an eight-game run without a victory against New York, a skid that began in 2022.
In the Atlantic Cup rival rally matchup, DC handed New York (3-3-3, 12 points) his first home loss of the season in five games.
The goal of Peglow, a 23-year-old Brazilian winger, signed by Team Radmi Akradom, Part 1 in December, was the first two of MLS.
They came nine separate in the second half of the first half after Benteke set off with an obvious thigh injury in the 29th minute. Benteke led the MLS with 23 goals last year, with five goals this season.
Peglow’s first goal was to become a goal kick assist from DC Keeper’s Luis Barraza. Peglow ran the bouncing ball backwards past the defender and fired a shot of his right foot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner.
Then, in the 44th minute, Peglow fired a sensational sidewinding bike kick from the right side of the six-yard box, then pushed it into the upper left corner. Aaron Herrera helped out the header for a 2-0 lead.
New York retaliated in the 57th minute. From the corner kick, Emile Forberg sent the header across the box to Eric Maxim Chopomoting.
The Red Bulls’ best chance then came 84 minutes after a corner kick. On a six-yard box scramble, Baraza rushed into the grass and made one of his two saves.
It was a satisfying victory for DC and coach Troy Lessené. Troy Resen built a winning streak for the Red Bulls against his longtime MLS rival, serving as New York assistant in 2022 and as head coach for most of the following season.
This was the 91st regular season MLS match in the series between two founding members of the league. Other MLS teams have not faced each other many times.
– Field-level media
