Why?
Was reading more about this. Basically, DC United are in last place in the Eastern Conference in the MLS but still have a shot at the playoffs (standings below). They have 3-4 matches in hand on everyone (14 matches remaining overall) because they just moved into a new stadium and backloaded a lot of their home fixtures because they wanted those matches in their home stadium.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/standingsAs it stood, they were something like 12 points adrift of 6th place (final playoff spot) with 14 matches remaining. Ben Olsen, the manager, basically took a gamble for all 3 points, especially since this was one of the home matches they really needed to win (Orlando City are mired in terrible form). They threw away a lead twice and were up a man, so Olsen gambled figuring they needed 3 points. There is also no relegation in the MLS, so risking a point to get all 3 wouldn't be devastating if Orlando scored.
However, this was still crazy because a lot of DC fans are fed up with Olsen. They've been really shit for over a year now. Sending up your keeper in a 2-2 draw against a shit Orlando team could've (and should've) ended in the type of defeat that could've made DC even more of a laughingstock (one of my friends that follows MLS closely makes fun of him at every opportunity). This was also a crazy decision since corners aren't that high percentage for scoring, and it wasn't even the absolute final kick. I mean, I could understand it more if you figure the ref would end the match as soon as the ball was cleared (leaving no chance for a shot at the empty goal), but there was still 1 minute of stoppage time left!
Fortune favors the bold (and crazy) I guess.
Did he play the whole game? 95th minute and he's tracking back like that and then still has the wherewithal and technique to play that insane pass. His form fell off a cliff towards the end of his time over here but his ability and desire is still there.
He did. Had another assist as well. I was watching him off the ball, and he looked immobile past about 70 minutes or so. He was constantly dropping deep to play in midfield but would then walk/jog up to get closer to the box. It definitely looked like the legs were gone on the night. No way would a young Rooney slowly amble up to the box when DC had chances to put the ball in. But clearly he had enough left in the tank to make that run, tackle, and cross-field ball at the end. I was really surprised to be honest.
I think if Orlando had 11 men, Rooney could've been a liability in midfield on the counter-attack or wouldn't have had anything left in the tank in stoppage time, but the man advantage helped a lot.
