Moreno Scores #100 as DC United Crewses

Jaime Moreno became the second player in MLS history to reach the century milestone Wednesday night, converting a penalty kick in the first half of D.C. United's 5-1 victory over the Columbus Crew.

"I don't think anybody thought I was going to play this long," said the 32-year-old Bolivian striker, who has been in the league since its inaugural season in 1996.

Moreno, who has six goals this season, joins Real Salt Lake's Jason Kreis (103) as MLS' only triple-digit scorers. Moreno has scored 93 of his goals with United, where he has played his entire career except for an injury-marred 2003 stint with the MetroStars.

"D.C. United is something special for me. The United States is a place where I got adopted," said Moreno, who holds a green card. "I appreciate all the people that let me play in the country. I got injured in 2003, and it's not easy to jump back up. I thought my career was over, but I was lucky enough to come back. Life is special, and I'm always going to be thankful."

Coach Peter Nowak was also thankful - because he was concerned that Moreno's pursuit of 100 would distract from the season.

"I'm glad this happened early," Nowak said. United got an own goal off the foot of Ezra Hendrickson in the second half, and Joshua Gros, Alecko Eskandarian and Lucio Filomeno also scored as the Eastern Conference leaders extended their unbeaten streak to four games and moved eight points ahead of second-place Kansas City.

Joseph Ngwenya scored in the first half for the Crew, who were forced to start a fifth-string goalkeeper because of injuries. With Jon Busch (torn knee ligament), Johnny Walker (back), Bill Gaudette (broken hand) and Andy Gruenebaum (broken hand) unavailable, coach Sigi Schmid started North Carolina State assistant coach Dan Popik, who joined the team Sunday as a special hardship roster exemption.

Popik, whose MLS experience consisted of two games with Los Angeles in 2003 and 2004, got the call over Noah Palmer, who was acquired last week in a trade with Real Salt Lake but has yet to play an MLS game. Popik committed the foul that led to Moreno's goal, cutting the legs out from Eskandarian at the top of the penalty box. Moreno easily put his penalty kick to Popik's left as the goalkeeper dived to the right in the eighth minute.

Ngwenya tied the game in the 21st with the Crew's only shot of the half, a right-footed volley from 12 yards off a pass from Sebastian Rozental.

United turned their dominance into goals after halftime, and Popik could hardly be faulted for any of them. After a corner kick, Hendrickson stuck his foot backward to redirect a shot by Eskandarian into the goal in the 48th minute. Gros scored in the 58th, putting in the rebound after Popik saved a shot by Moreno.

Eskandarian scored his fifth goal of the season, second on the team to Moreno, on a breakaway in the 71st. Argentine defender Filomeno scored his first career MLS goal in the 78th after Crew defenders failed to clear the ball from the box.

The five goals were the most allowed by the Crew since a 5-4 loss at Chicago on June 2, 2002.

At halftime, United held a send-off ceremony for midfielder Ben Olsen, the team's only representative on the U.S. World Cup team. The Americans depart for Germany on Thursday.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)