Wayne Rooney Shows His Class Against Timbers, Christian Ramirez Scores First LAFC Goals
WASHINGTON — Wayne Rooney scored two goals and D.C. United beat the Portland Timbers 4-1 on Wednesday night to move out of last place in the Eastern Conference.
D.C. (6-9-6) won its third consecutive home game. Portland (10-5-7) has lost two straight after going unbeaten in its previous 15 matches.
Rooney, the English star who joined the Washington club in June, tied it at 1 in the 43rd minute by running past the defense for Yamil Asad's through ball and rolling it by Jeff Attinella. Rooney bent in a free kick in the 68th for his third MLS goal.
Oniel Fisher made it 2-1 in the second minute of the second half with his first career goal. Luciano Acosta's individual effort set it up, drawing multiple defenders and finding Fisher for a shot off the post and in.
Former Timber Darren Mattocks capped the scoring on a breakaway in stoppage time for his ninth goal. D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid started in his first appearance since rejoining United on a 1 1/2-year loan from the Danish club FC Midtjylland.
For Portland, Samuel Armenteros scored his eighth goal of the season in the 35th and nearly scored again two minutes later, but Hamid came out of his area to deny a header.
LAFC 2, Real Salt Lake 0
LOS ANGELES — Christian Ramirez scored his first two goals since joining Los Angeles FC in a trade last week, helping the expansion team beat Real Salt Lake 2-0 on Wednesday night.
LAFC acquired the high-scoring forward from Minnesota United on Aug. 6. Ramirez left as the leading goal-scorer in United's short history. He has nine goals this season.
LAFC (11-7-6) ended a five-game winless stretch, including two straight losses. Salt Lake (10-10-5) has just one win in its last six games, with three draws.
In the 13th minute, Ramirez controlled a cross from Carlos Vela with the outside of his foot and sent it past Nick Rimando. Ramirez had an easy left-footed redirection of Eduard Atuesta's cross in the 30th.
RSL changed goalkeepers at halftime, giving 23-year-old Andrew Putna his first MLS minutes. He finished with four saves.
