Jack McGlynn’s stunning goal saves the Union in a 2-2 tie at D.C. United

WASHINGTON — Just when the Union seemed destined to lose three games in a row for the first time in three years, Jack McGlynn bailed them out in stunning fashion.

McGlynn’s long-range blast in the 79th minute gave the Union a 2-2 tie at D.C. United on Saturday, after the Union (3-2-5, 14 points) had fallen into another big hole in the first half.

Cristián Dajome scored in the ninth minute and Jacob Murrell doubled the home team’s lead in the 33rd before Alejandro Bedoya struck in the 42nd.

After watching his team surrender nine goals over its last four games, Union manager Jim Curtin made many changes to his starting lineup to try for more defensive bite. Mikael Uhre, Jack Elliott, and José Andrés Martínez came out, and Leon Flach, Bedoya, and Damion Lowe came in.

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It wasn’t clear before kickoff whether Martínez going to the bench was related to his complaints on social media after being pulled at halftime of Tuesday’s game against Seattle, or whether there were any lingering effects of the hits he took in that game.

It was the first time this year that Martínez did not start a game for which he was eligible. The only game he’d missed this year was March 23 at Portland, when he was away with Venezuela’s national team.

The front six players lined up in a flat 4-4-2 to start the game, instead of the Union’s usual diamond. Flach, McGlynn, Bedoya, and Quinn Sullivan (from left to right) were the midfield four, and Julián Carranza and Dániel Gazdag were the front two.

It didn’t take long for D.C. (3-3-5, 14 points) to blow a hole in the Union’s plans. United had an easy time passing the ball around the right flank, leading to Aaron Herrera’s chip over McGlynn in no-man’s land. Mateusz Klich — a former teammate of Union alum Brenden Aaronson at Leeds United — received the pass and flicked the ball on to Jared Stroud, who crossed it low back across the 18-yard box.

Nathan Harriel was nearby, but marking United star striker Christian Benteke. That allowed Dajome to charge forward uncontested and slam a shot home.

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In the 20th minute, Klich baited Carranza into a yellow card while the teams waited for a Union corner kick. There was the usual jostling among both teams’ players, referee Ismir Pekmic blew his whistle twice to stop it before the kick was taken, and Klich made the most of a shove.

Murrell doubled D.C.’s lead in the 33rd on another play that was far too easy. Goalkeeper Alex Bono launched a simple long kick, Benteke headed it on to Stroud, and he laid it over to Murrell. When Jakob Glesnes backed off, Murrell accepted the invitation and shot past Oliver Semmle.

The Union’s only decent scoring chance in the first 40 minutes came from a Carranza free kick in the 31st that crashed off the crossbar.

Bedoya finally broke through when he jumped on a low Kai Wagner free kick to score on a designed play. And a player with a history of statements made another one as he celebrated.

He pointed up toward the section of visiting Union fans at that end of the field, then slammed the crest on his jersey, then pointed toward Curtin and ran over and high-fived him.

It wasn’t the kind of statement with words that the Union’s longtime captain often makes, but it said plenty.

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Curtin didn’t make any subs until the 65th, when he made a double move: Uhre for Sullivan and Martínez for Flach. The Venezuelan nearly had to come out seven minutes later when he went down holding his left knee, and looked to be in a lot of pain.

But after hobbling off the field and hobbling a fair bit more on the sideline, Martínez went back in the game, for better or worse.

At that point, it felt like the Union had little hope. But McGlynn, out of nowhere, struck an extraordinary hit: 30-some yards, swerving in the rain, with the silky left foot that has made him arguably the Union’s most-must-watch player.

We’ll have to wait to see if that goal saved the Union’s season, but things sure felt different at the final whistle than it did before McGlynn scored.

As the Union had previously indicated, Andrew Rick served as backup goalkeeper with Andre Blake out injured. It was Rick’s fifth call-up from the reserve squad to the first team, so by league rule the Union had to sign the 18-year-old to a first-team contract. The deal is guaranteed through 2028, with an option for 2029.

“Andrew has made notable strides in his growth and development during his time playing with the academy and Union II,” Union sporting director Ernst Tanner said in a statement. “He’s shown his ability to step up in big moments and keep his composure. As we add depth to our goalkeeping unit, he’ll have the opportunity to continue working with and learning from the top talents in our league and we feel confident he’ll be ready when called upon.”