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Second-half flurry sends United to third straight win

Jun 23, 2008 - 2:23 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Gonzalo Martinez snapped a tie early in the second half with his first goal of the season and Luciano Emilio continued his hot streak with another tally as D.C. United posted a 3-1 triumph over the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday.

Clyde Simms also scored for D.C. United (6-7-1), which won its third straight game and ran its unbeaten streak to five straight games, matching Real Salt Lake for the longest in the league. D.C. United has scored 14 goals over that span.

The streak has followed the United's four-game losing streak, which had dropped the team into last place in the Eastern Conference at 2-7. The United is now in a tie for fifth with the New York Red Bulls (5-4-4).

Despite his team's success, D.C. United coach Tom Soehn was not thrilled with his side's overall performance.

"As a whole we didn't show up today," he said. "We came in with a mentality that we won the game and that's discouraging for me. I don't think we were good on the competitive side or on the soccer side. We addressed it at halftime and got a little bit better.

"But there are not too many days where you can come like we did today and come out with a result."

Martinez snapped a 1-1 tie in the 55th minute, blasting a right-footed shot from the left side of the box just off the inside of the far post and into the net, giving the home team the lead for good. Martinez had made a run down the left side of the penalty area and pulled the ball back to his right foot before beating San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon to the far post.

"I kept moving forward. I had help from Bryan (Namoff), Luciano (Emilio) and Jaime (Moreno)," Martinez said of his goal. "They opened up space for me, I had a good opportunity and I was faster."

Emilio provided an insurance goal in the 88th minute for United, scoring his eighth of the season and his seventh in the last five games. The Brazilian, who led the league with 20 goals last season, is now in third place - three behind Landon Donovan of the Los Angeles Galaxy - for the MLS lead..

Marcelo Gallardo assisted on both Martinez and Emilio's goals for United.

Despite a scoreless first half, each team had their chances in the game's opening 45 minutes.

Emilio had a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area just hit off the right post in the 16th minute, and Ivan Guerrero nearly put the Earthquakes in front when his shot from close range was just tipped off the crossbar by United goalkeeper Zach Wells in the 30th minute.

Simms finally broke through for D.C. in the 50th minute when his shot from 25 yards out deflected off a San Jose defender and into the vacant net as Cannon dove the wrong way.

But San Jose struck right back in the 51st minute as Wells bobbled a cross at the top of the six-yard box and John Cunliffe knocked home the rebound to tie the game.

"I thought we played good stuff at times," San Jose coach Frank Yallop said. "But I thought the referee was poor today to be honest; he missed a play, so that hurts but again we didn't win so it doesn't matter really."

The Earthquakes (3-8-2) are now winless in their last three games and remain in last place in the Western Conference.