Wayne Rooney watched from the stands as D.C. United bagged a 92nd-minute equaliser to salvage a draw in his first match since returning to the club as their new manager.
The Manchester United legend, who recently quit troubled Derby County after failing to save them from relegation, has been installed as United's new boss midway through their dire Major League Soccer season. Rooney saw his team, who were thrashed 7-0 by Philadelphia Union in a record-setting loss last time out, earn a dramatic 2-2 draw at home to Columbus Crew on Wednesday evening.
After going behind just after the hour mark, Greek midfielder Taxiarchis Fountas made up for missing a penalty earlier in the second half by levelling the scores after 80 minutes. Within 60 seconds, however, the Washington-based side were trailing again, as ex- Watford striker Juan Hernandez headed home past Rafael Romo.
D.C. had a hero, though, as experienced Norwegian striker Ola Kamara - who briefly played alongside Rooney in the United States capital - tucked home from close range in injury time. The goal stood after a VAR check, but it couldn't stop Rooney and co from dropping to the foot of the Eastern Conference ahead of their trip to Minnesota on Sunday.
A midweek win for Chicago Fire meant they leapfrogged United., who are now rooted to the bottom of the table with 18 points from as many games, although they do still boast two games in hand on 13th-placed Toronto. Having replaced interim manager Chad Ashton, new boss Rooney has a tough ask to achieve an MLS play-off spot, which they have missed out in the past two years since his departure.
Speaking to the media at his unveiling, the 35-year-old defended his decision to return to his former club in the US and distance himself from English football, having been tipped to take charge of his beloved Everton only as recently as January.
"I've seen a few articles, certainly back in England, on this as possibly a backwards step in my managerial career. I really found that a bit disrespectful to this league," Rooney stated.
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"I think as a player, playing in the main of my career at the top level, you can really choose which club you want to go to. As a manager I'm at the beginning of that journey. I'm at a point in my managerial career where I have to put the work in, I have to put the hours in.
"Of course, I'm an ambitious person, I want to manage at the top level and this is part of that process, in terms of coming here, trying to develop this club, trying to get success here, but also develop myself as a manager."
