D.C. United has taken a renewed approach to this year’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for two reasons. First, the winner of the nation’s oldest knockout competition now earns an automatic bid into the CONCACAF Champions League.
Second, D.C. can do no worse than last year, when it fielded a reserve-heavy lineup and suffered an embarrassing third-round loss to Harrisburg City of the USL second division — two tiers below Major League Soccer — resulting in United’s earliest tournament exit since 1999.
“I sense that we are taking this tournament a lot more seriously than in the past,” said United midfielder Ben Olsen. “Not that we threw it. We always had faith in guys to get through certain games, and we failed in a lot of ways the last couple years.”
Just like United raised its game for Sunday’s 4-1 win over star-studded Los Angeles, lower division opponents always find something special against MLS teams.
“We’re going to have to match that intensity,” said United midfielder Clyde Simms, who began his pro career with the minor-league Richmond Kickers. “I know that when I was with Richmond, we beat D.C. United in Open Cup, and it was a great feeling.”
Despite the intention of a first-team look, United head coach Tom Soehn will likely be without his top playmakers, such as Marcelo Gallardo, who played 90 minutes two days ago against the Galaxy.
Santino Quaranta (hamstring) is out for 2-3 weeks, and Domenic Mediate (concussion) is questionable.
“It’s always a fine line because you have to balance all these games that we have, and you have to prioritize,” said Soehn, whose current crop of reserves have won three straight matches. “We expect to get some quality minutes out of some of our younger guys. It’s time.”
