U.S. WC hopeful Eddie Johnson provides pinpoint assist, exits with apparent injury

Eddie Johnson assisted on a goal for D.C. United Saturday night, but exited with an apparent injury. (Nick Wass/AP) D.C. United forward Eddie Johnson is yet

Liviu Bird | Apr 26, 2014

U.S. WC hopeful Eddie Johnson provides pinpoint assist, exits with apparent injury /

Eddie Johnson assisted on a goal for D.C. United Saturday night, but exited with an apparent injury. (Nick Wass/AP)

D.C. United forward Eddie Johnson is yet to score for his new club after joining from the Seattle Sounders in the offseason, and it's certainly not helping his chances of landing what once seemed like a surefire place on the U.S. World Cup roster.

However, he did set up teammate Fabián Espíndola, another offseason acquisition, right before halftime in D.C.'s 4-1 win over Western Conference-leading FC Dallas on Saturday. After drifting wide to the right flank as play developed, Johnson bent a ball with his right foot around the Dallas back line and right onto Espíndola's head for the close-range equalizer.

Watch Johnson's effort below:

While the top-class assist will help offset his lack of goals, Johnson might have another thing to worry about in U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann's decision-making process: an apparent hamstring injury. Six minutes into the second half, Johnson limped off the field and was replaced by Conor Doyle. After ambling to the sideline, Johnson appeared to point to his left hamstring while speaking to D.C. United's training staff.

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D.C., which had a man advantage after the 39th minute when Dallas' Zach Loyd was sent off (and then finished 11-v-9 when Michel received his marching orders in the 89th minute) ran rampant over a 10-minute stretch after Johnson's departure. Defenders Bobby Boswell and Sean Franklin -- also offseason additions -- scored in the 60th and 64th minutes, respectively, and Espindola capped off a two-goal, one-assist day with his 69th-minute tally.

Resurgent D.C. has now won three of its last four games -- matching last season's entire win total -- and is unbeaten in five, while Dallas fell for the second time in three games after starting the year 4-0-1.

Published Apr 26, 2014

LIVIU BIRD

Liviu Bird is a soccer analyst with more than 20 years of experience in the game. He learned how to play in the streets of Romania before moving to the soccer wilderness of Fairbanks, Alaska, escaping to play collegiately as a goalkeeper at Highline Community College and Seattle Pacific University, where he also earned his B.A. in journalism. Bird played semiprofessionally and had tryouts at professional clubs but hung up his gloves in 2012 to focus on writing and coaching at the youth and collegiate levels. He joined Sports Illustrated in March 2013 as a freelance contributor and has also written for NBC Sports, Soccer Wire, The New York Times, American Soccer Now and the Telegraph (UK).