THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Luciano Emilio gave D.C. United the lead 62 seconds into the game, and after being held scoreless in its MLS opener, United routed Toronto FC 4-1 on Saturday night.
Emilio put a move on two Toronto defenders at the top of the penalty box and pushed a shot past Toronto goalkeeper Greg Sutton for the quick lead, and United’s Santino Quaranta added another goal in the fifth minute after gathering the rebound from a header by Devon McTavish.
United captain Marcelo Gallardo, an Argentinean who joined the league when he signed with United in January, made it 3-0 in the 52nd minute with his first MLS goal. Gallardo was free of defenders after taking a pass from Quaranta and put in a shot from the top of the six-yard box.
Gallardo is the club’s first signing under the league’s new designated player rule, also known as the "Beckham rule."
Jamie Moreno, who entered the game at halftime, capped the scoring when he poked a fourth goal past Sutton in the 78th minute — quite the offensive outburst for a team that lost its opener 2-0 at Kansas City.
It was the 113th MLS goal for Moreno, who is the league’s all-time leading scorer. He had missed United’s opener and two CONCACAF Champions’ Cup games with a hamstring injury sustained in a Champions’ Cup game at Jamaica’s Harbour View on March 12.
Toronto (0-2-0) played a man down for much of the game. Kevin Harmse was given a red card in the 22nd minute for a hard foul on United’s Gonzalo Peralta.
Toronto avoided a shutout when Maurice Edu scored in the 88th minute.