On Saturday night, DC United will have a chance to do something they haven’t done since 2009: Be first place in the Eastern Conference. Even if it’s just for a few minutes or hours, the achievement will speak volumes. The opponent standing in their way is the familiar New England Revolution. Earlier this season, United beat the Revolution 2-1 at Gillette Stadium for the first time since 2007, and they hope to have a similar result in front of their own fans.
New England comes into the match after a 2-2 draw with a solid Houston club last week. The line-up will be much stronger than the earlier match this season, which saw Shalrie Joseph suspended and Benny Feilhaber used as a substitute. Both players have a history of doing great things and will pose as threats. Another player to keep tabs on would be Saer Sene, who has scored four goals in the last four matches. The Revolution won two of those matches and drew once. So don’t let their sixth place in the table fool you. This New England club has a great chance to come to RFK and get three points.
But trying to stop them will be a United side which is just as good. Playing a league-high 14 matches already (almost half the season), DC has been hit with numerous injuries, but fortunately many players are beginning to practice again. Dejan Jakovic made an appearance last match and isn’t listed on the injury report (thank goodness), while Emiliano Dudar is listed as probable after being out for a good month or so with a hamstring strain. Of course, with players coming back, others are out such as Danny Cruz and Robbie Russell.
United’s defense has been a brick wall of late allowing just two goals in the last four matches, even with injuries to the backline. With Dudar and Jakovic back, along with the rising Daniel Woolard and Brandon McDonald, the back line is just as solid as ever. And on the attacking front, Ben Olsen has mentioned the tough decisions he will have to make on the starting line-up. Hamdi Salihi and Branko Boskovic have been great during the past week and a half, while De Rosario has been equally as brilliant. But others like Maicon Santos and Chris Pontius are listed as probable and questionable, in that order, so where do you fit them in? Along with Perry Kitchen, Andy Najar, and Nick DeLeon, there isn’t enough room. It’s a good problem to have though, and thats why Olsen gets paid “the big bucks” to be the coach. I feel almost any combination of players will be good, but that’s just me speaking.
On the office break room board, we make predictions as to who will win the upcoming match. Of course we all pick DC all the time. My pick was DC United winning 2-0 with De Rosario and Boskovic getting goals, and yes that would be Boskovic’s first goal. He needs one and after coming back from the injury last year, he deserves one. A goal against a great keeper like Matt Reis would be a great way to start.
(image courtesy of Elise Amendola/Associated Press)
