WASHINGTON (AP) — Sebastián Ferreira scored three goals in the second half to rally the Houston Dynamo to a 4-1 victory over D.C. United, which lost two players to red cards on Saturday night.
Neither team scored until Christian Benteke drew a foul and converted a penalty kick in the 38th minute to give DC United (4-9-7) a halftime lead. It was the 14th goal of the season but first in June for Benteke, who trails Real Salt Lake’s Cristian “Chicho” Arango by two for the league lead. Benteke earned the PK after he was fouled by Dynamo midfielder José Artur de Lima Júnior.
It was all Houston (7-6-6) from there.
The Dynamo took the lead early in the second half when Ferreira struck twice. He knotted the score in the 51st minute on a penalty kick and put the Dynamo on top in the 54th when he scored unassisted with a right-footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom left corner of the net.
Ferreira, who was making just his second start and seventh appearance of the season, earned the PK after a hand ball foul on DC defender Matai Akinmboni. Ferreira finished off his hat trick in the 86th minute with assists from defenders Brad Smith and Daniel Steres. The goals were the first for Ferreira since scoring once in a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on March 30. It was the first hat trick on the road in franchise history.
Smith and Steres both notched assists in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Gabriel Segal scored for a third time this season. Smith’s assists were his first of the season, while Steres has three.
DC United lost Benteke to a red card in the 66th minute and Akinmboni to one in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Tyler Miller totaled four saves in his second start of the season for DC United. Miller had three saves to keep Houston from scoring in the first half.
Steve Clark stopped two shots for Houston.
DC United saw its winless streak reach eight — 0-6-2 — in its first season under Troy Lesesne. The club has not won since May 11.
Houston coach Ben Olsen played 11 seasons for DC United, helping them with the MLS Cup in 1999 and 2004. He was DC’s coach for 11 years. It was Olsen’s first trip to D.C. since parting ways with the club in 2020.
Houston leads the all-time series 16-7-5 with a 49-29 goal differential.
The Dynamo return home to play Charlotte FC on Saturday. DC United goes on the road to play the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.
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