HARRISON, N.J. — As if the past five weeks had not been distressing enough, D.C. United on Saturday night watched somberly as Christian Benteke walked off the field with a quadriceps injury in the first half. The Belgian striker has been not only United’s top scorer but the only capable game changer in a season growing darker by the week.
When all looked hopeless at Sports Illustrated Stadium, João Peglow snatched the scoring responsibilities in emphatic fashion during a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls.
The 23-year-old Brazilian winger scored nine minutes apart before halftime — the first by heading the ball to himself, the second on an outrageous overhead strike — as United (2-4-3) ended a four-game losing streak and a five-match winless rut.