2024-06-21T18:47:45.653ZPedro Santos scored in first-half stoppage time Saturday to give 10-man D.C. United an unlikely halftime lead. (Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports)HARRISON, N.J. — Nothing about D.C. United’s recent woes, roster predicament, daunting matchup or rivalry results indicated that the visitors would depart Red Bull Arena on Saturday night with anything other than a fourth straight defeat. Add an early red card to the equation and the visitors’ odds looked all the slimmer.So it was all the more remarkable when goals by Jared Stroud and Pedro Santos helped United (4-9-8) gut out a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls (9-4-8). Although D.C. led for most of the evening and failed to snap a winless skid that stands at 0-6-3, myriad factors made the point on the road an acceptable result.The third-place Red Bulls came in boasting a 6-0-3 home record. New York also had dominated the I-95 rivalry of late, going 6-0-1 in all competitions against D.C. since 2022. Facing a rash of injuries and two suspensions, United dressed just 17 players — three short of the maximum. One of those bans sidelined striker Christian Benteke, the second-leading scorer in MLS whose 14 goals accounted for more than half of D.C.’s offense entering the game.Yet it was United that took the sixth-minute lead. Rookie forward Jacob Murrell turned an errant touch from Stroud into a give-and-go by back-heeling a pass into the winger’s path. Bearing down on goal, Stroud slotted home a 15-yard shot that the former Red Bull celebrated with a muted hop and fist pump.Beautiful tiki-taka soccer from @dcunited to take the early lead. ???????? #MLSSeasonPass: https://t.co/NVQtRIEt1E pic.twitter.com/FJFYQZY9Il— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 29, 2024 That hot start was quickly tempered. Already on a yellow card for an early foul, Cristian Dájome toppled over Red Bulls winger Cameron Harper with a clumsy challenge and saw red in the 20th minute for his second booking.New York equalized three minutes later. Referee Malik Badawi whistled United’s Matti Peltola for pulling down Sean Nealis while vying for a cross, and Elias Manoel converted from the penalty spot.In first-half stoppage time, Red Bulls midfielder Ronald Donkor took down Ted Ku-DiPietro from behind in a promising position. While the foul appeared to be a textbook booking, Badawi left United irate by declining to show Donkor his second yellow card.Santos, however, kept his cool. Stepping over the free kick, the veteran struck a left-footed curler that cleared the New York wall and beat goalkeeper Ryan Meara to his near post to give United an unlikely halftime lead.Free-kick perfection from Pedro Santos! ???????? #MLSSeasonPass: https://t.co/NVQtRIEt1E pic.twitter.com/7wZpoj8MW4— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 30, 2024 Tension mounted in the second half as D.C. withstood waves of attacks and rain began to fall. United Coach Troy Lesesne picked up a yellow card for dissent midway through the period; because it was his third of the season, he will be suspended for FC Cincinnati’s visit to Audi Field on Wednesday.In the 78th minute, United buckled. New York substitute Kyle Duncan found space down the right flank and picked out Harper for a one-time finish through traffic that preserved the Red Bulls’ unbeaten runs at home and against D.C.Here’s what else to know about United’s draw:Shorthanded squadAlthough United had six players available off the bench, the situation was more dire than numbers alone would indicate. Two players (Alex Bono and Nathan Crockford) were backup goalkeepers; two were prospects recalled from loans (Hayden Sargis and Jeremy Garay); and one was a starter making an early return from a knee injury (Christopher McVey, who entered in the 90th minute).An already shorthanded D.C. squad was handcuffed during a 4-1 loss to the Houston Dynamo last weekend. Benteke picked up his fifth yellow card of the season to trigger a one-game suspension, then earned a straight red to make it a two-match ban. Defender Matai Akinmboni was sent off late to pick up a one-game suspension of his own. And Akinmboni had replaced Garrison Tubbs, who suffered a concussion and a gash above his eye.The Red Bulls weren’t at full strength, either: Goalkeeper Carlos Coronel missed the match while representing Paraguay at Copa America; midfielder Daniel Edelman served a suspension; leading scorer Lewis Morgan didn’t come on until halftime after returning from Euro 2024 duty with Scotland; and second-leading scorer Emil Forsberg was limited to 14 minutes while nursing a foot injury.Lesesne returnsThe rivalry match carried particular significance for Lesesne: It was his first trip to Red Bull Arena since he was dismissed as interim coach this past November. Lesesne, who joined the Red Bulls as an assistant coach in 2022, steered New York to a 14-10-8 record and a playoff berth after taking over for Gerhard Struber early in the 2023 campaign.The Red Bulls blitzed United, 4-1, on May 15 at Au