3:2 New York DC United Barklage 2 Solli Pontius 2 06.24.12 · League

Next week marks the one-year anniversary of the forever controversial Dwayne De Rosario for Dax McCarty trade. Was Metro right in shipping one of the best attacking players in MLS history to its biggest rival? Does McCarty's marvelous play this year make the trade a success? De Rosario, McCarty, facing their former teams, De Rosario, McCarty... Brandon Barklage? Who on earth would even consider Brandon Barklage?

Oh, De Rosario and McCarty had the impact on the game, the former setting up the Scum's first goal and the latter controlling the center of the field. But it was Barklage, cast off from DC after three injury-plagued nondescript seasons, who remarkably scored his first two MLS goals as Metro came back from an early deficit to dump the Scum 3:2.

"Clever" Hans Backe's favorite vice captain, S. Markus Holgersson, missed his first time of the year with an injury suffered late against Vancouver. So in came Rafa Marquez to central defense. Mehdi Ballouchy also made his return in central midfield. Jan Gunnar Solli moved to the right for the suspended Dane Richards, and Joel Lindpere started as a forward behind Kenny Cooper.

The Scum broke through less than 30 seconds into the match. Roy Miller was beat on the left side, a cross was floated into the penalty area, and Chris Pontius' head sent shockwaves through the faithful before they had a chance to sit down.

But those shockwaves shook the squad on the field with a ferocious tremor. Metro utterly dominated the first half of the match, outclassing DC in every area. A McCarty long bomb dipped to hit the cross bar. A Cooper header just missed. Another Cooper long shot was parried. Heath Pearce, somehow at the opposing endline, made a Scum defender into a fool. The game was evened it in the 20th, when Barklage flew into the box, hammering home a Lindpere corner kick. Metro scored off a corner for the third straight game.

They got the lead just before the break. The Scum was called for a foul outside the penalty area, and Marquez's ensuing free kick hit the fall. The ball got back to Barkalge, whose blast pierced the penalty area and the net to give the right back an improbable brace. It was the first league game in team history that a defender scored two goals.

The second half started with much of the same, with Metro toying with the Scum. In the 55th, it was Solli's turn to get his first Metro goal, as he was set up in front of the net by Lindpere. The initial shot was saved by Bill Hamid, but Solli pounced on the rebound, and Metro had a two-goal lead that seemed insurmountable.

It stopped seeming so in the 66th, when Pontius made it 3:2 on a goal that was probably offside. It seemed more and more in danger as the Scum started to attack and attack, but was just too inept to finish. The close calls were too many to mention. The final whistle's ring was an eager sound to Metro ears.

Including those belonging to Braklage. Seriously... Brandon Barklage?

Lineup: Meara, Miller, Marquez, Pearce, Barklage, McCarty, Lade, Ballouchy, Solli, Lindpere, Cooper. Subs: Henry, Palsson, Keel.