After referee Jair Marrufo ejected him Saturday, Ben Olsen watched the last nutty few minutes of D.C. United’s 2-2 draw with the Philadelphia Union on a TV in the locker room. Because the broadcast was several seconds behind live action, Olsen would hear commotion in the stands before he would see what was unfolding on the screen.
For an excruciating stretch, RFK Stadium’s eruptions offered false hope: near misses, high drama but no equalizer. Deep into five minutes of stoppage time, the unmistakable sound of a desperately required goal — furnished by Steve Birnbaum’s head — preceded the video.