Before Wayne Rooney put on a show at Audi Field on Wednesday night, there was a moment against the Portland Timbers when a result for D.C. United seemed in peril. Samuel Armenteros, who two minutes before, had given Portland the lead in the first half, was tracking a cross into the box from Sebastian Blanco. A two goal deficit seemed imminent, until Bill Hamid, in his return to the Black-and-Red, raced off his line, and saved the header.
From there, Rooney scored twice, and United stomped on the Timbers in the second half, running away with a 4-1 win that put the hosts up into 8th place in the Eastern Conference, after a long spell in the basement.