Let's make one thing clear before we continue: defender Perry Kitchen wasn't drafted 3rd overall by D.C. United in this past January's MLS SuperDraft to score goals for the Black-and-Red. Which is all the more reason we should give the 19-year-old props for his first career MLS tally, which came in the 13th minute of Sunday afternoon's 3-2 win at the Portland Timbers.
↵I've embedded the video below, and I really want you to notice how well-executed this goal is. The long thrown-in by Chris Pontius serves the same purpose as any cross by David Beckham, and is just as effective here. Blake Brettschneider does well to run to the spot on the end line where the throw-in is set to go and lays a lovely cushion header back into no man's land at the edge of the six-yard box, where Kitchen, very alertly, is stealing in to put the ball home. As I tweeted during the game, that's the kind of set play that is practiced for hours on the training ground each week, and that work obviously paid off here. Take a bow, Chris, Blake, and especially Perry. Take a bow, sons.
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