Wayne Rooney’s eventful start to life at DC United continued with an astonishing passage of play in the 96th minute against Orlando City which saw him run half the length of the pitch to prevent a near-certain goal, before immediately setting up the winner. For good measure, the goal brought up Luciano Acosta’s hat-trick.

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Orlando were down to 10 men at United’s Audi Field ground after Cristian Higuita’s red card 10 minutes into the second half. But in the dying seconds, and with United’s goalkeeper David Ousted in the opposing box as his side sought a late winner, the visitors broke away on the left wing with an empty net beckoning.

Yet Rooney, who had been positioned in the D outside the Orlando box, saw the danger and showed tremendous pace and energy to close down, make a superb tackle, and then four touches forward later he arced a crossfield pass to the far post where the diminutive Acosta rose highest to head back across goal and give his side a memorable victory.

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Rooney had provided the assist for Acosta’s first goal, which gave his side the lead on half-time, before Ousted conceded an unfortunate own-goal after clumsily dealing with a low cross, sending it into his own net. The Argentinian Acosta then scored his second, only to see USA international Dom Dwyer equalise in the 71st minute, before the fireworks in the dying seconds.

Late last month Rooney showed his gift for multi-tasking by scoring his first goal for the club and breaking his nose in the same game. Despite his heroics against Orlando, his side remain rooted to the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference after only five wins in 20 games. The win however tightened things up considerably in the division as only two points now separate them in 11th from Orlando in eighth.