DANIEL ISLAND, S.C. -- Fourteen-year-old Freddy Adu scored 11 minutes into his pro debut Saturday, helping D.C. United beat Battery 2-1 in the first game of the Carolina Challenge Cup.
More than 100 fans, mostly children, chanted his name and waited for Adu after the game.
The young star deflected most of the praise to his teammates.
"I'm just trying to fit in right now," he said. "The fans are great, but it's more important that we won."
Although Adu had already played in some preseason games with D.C. United, this was his first professional game. Adu didn't make his first appearance until the beginning of the second half.
"He changed the game a little bit when he came in," D.C. United coach Peter Novak said. "He had a very tough week finishing up school in Florida, so he wasn't going to start."
Adu showed that his reputation as a goal scorer was well deserved in the 56th minute.
D.C. United defender Dema Kovalenko made a run and crossed the ball into the box to Adu. Adu trapped the ball with his left foot and one touched it past Battery goalie Dusty Hudock for the score.
"It was very important for me, it gives me a lot of confidence," Adu said. "It helps the team out because we haven't gotten a lot goals in the preseason. So, hopefully this jump starts us offensively."
The Battery answered 19 minutes later, tying the game in the 75th minute on Paul Conway's goal off a corner kick.
Adu also had a hand in D.C. United's second goal.
Adu was tackled hard by Andreas Bechmann, who received a red card on the play.
D.C. United forward Bobby Convey scored on a shot that he bent around Hudock.