D.C. salvages 1-1 draw with Firpo

July 29, 2009

WASHINGTON – Jaime Moreno converted a late first-half penalty kick and D.C. United salvaged a 1-1 draw with CD Firpo on Tuesday to open the 2009-2010 CONCACAF Champions League.

Moreno, who has six goals in Major League Soccer, scored his first career tally in the Champions League in the 42nd minute after Christian Sanchez was called for a lunging foul, clipping the heal of Rodney Wallace and knocking him off balance and to the ground.

The match was the opener of the 16-match Preliminary Round and 78-game Champions League.

D.C. United, which qualified directly to the Group Stage last year and managed only a draw in six matches, will have to travel to El Salvador on August 4 for the second leg. The winner of the aggregate goal series will join Group B with Toluca of Mexico, Marathon of Honduras and either San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad & Tobago or San Francisco FC of Panama.

Firpo took the lead in the 26th minute when Mario Benitez stripped D.C. defender Greg Janicki near the top of the penalty area, and beat goalkeeper Milos Kocic from 15 meters with a left-footed strike that rolled just inside the far post.

D.C. United extended its unbeaten streak to seven, including four victories. Firpo still is 2½ weeks from the start its season, when it will host Atletico Balboa.

D.C. manager Tommy Soehn inserted Luciano Emiliano in the first half and Christian Gomez to start the second half in an attempt to spark his squad.

Both teams had chances in the second half with Dennis Alas having his shot blocked high before finally being caught by Kosic in the 63rd.

Nine minutes later, Wallace had his shot seemingly destined for the net blocked by Sanchez.

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