• Recap
• Bleachers

Dichio, Toronto FC keep D.C. United reeling

May 22, 2008 - 5:05 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Danny Dichio scored the lone goal of the game in the seventh minute as Toronto FC extended its franchise-record unbeaten streak to six contests with a 1-0 triumph over reeling D.C. United on Wednesday.

Goalkeeper Greg Sutton recorded three saves for Toronto (4-2-2), which has posted four wins and two ties in its last six matches. The Canadian contingent also improved to 3-0-2 at BMO Field.

D.C. United (2-7-0), which has lost four in a row and six of its last seven, remains winless on the road with an 0-5-0 record. The struggling side has surrendered a league-high 18 goals.

The 33-year-old Dichio capitalized on midfielder Devon McTavish's inability to settle the ball in the penalty area and slipped a shot past charging goalkeeper Zachary Wells for his second tally of the season.

"Well I just simply had to fight my way through. It was a 50/50 ball and I was able to get to it with my toe and knock it in," Dichio said. "I've been in this game since I was 9 years old, and after a while I realize at this age, I have to put in the one or two chances I get - and this time I did.

"I thought it was an old fashioned goal," Toronto FC coach John Carver said. "He put it down on his chest, fought off the defender and beat the goalie."

Dichio celebrated his goal by racing to the left corner of the field and raising the flag to delight a crowd of 19,791 on a damp, crisp evening.

"When you're going through rough stretches, one mistake, or two mistakes tend to cost you and that was a bad mistake you know seven minutes in," D.C. United coach Tom Soehn said. "I thought we came out with a lot of energy, I thought we executed what we came to do today, but a mistake is hard to recover from."

Fred nearly leveled the contest in the 64th minute.

After Marcelo Gallardo lofted a cross into the penalty area, the midfielder tried to convert quickly and left-footed a shot from short range that sailed wide of the net.

"It's definitely a tough situation," Fred said. "It's embarrassing to me but we've got to go back to work and right the ship. I've been through this before, but you never want to go through it. You never want to go though something like this."

D.C. United was unable to net the equalizer, as Toronto FC recorded its first victory in five contests in the teams' brief history.