Ben Olsen still has faith that D.C. United will reach the MLS playoffs.
Despite the daunting task ahead of trying to win three games in eight days – and that still might not be enough – the first-year head coach wasn’t ready to pack it in on Friday, after his team had to fly through Phoenix to get home from Vancouver the night before, adding grief to the already less than ideal preparation time for Saturday’s game against Chicago.
“We have a game tomorrow that is absolutely crucial to our season, and somehow we’re in this thing,” Olsen said. “We’ve had games and results not going our way as of late, but we’re still here, and we deserve to be here, and this group for the most part, has done a good job this year. We’ve put ourselves in a position where we can still make playoffs, and I’m excited for them, the experience, this stretch. I hope we realize what it takes physically and mentally to take it up a notch to succeed. This is what we’ll find out about our group and our staff. We’re all in this together.”
D.C.’s chances will be adjusted and affected by this weekend’s other MLS results – United will be rooting for Real Salt Lake over Colorado and for a draw between Portland and Houston tonight – but Olsen said there’s no need to pay attention since it all starts with a result against the Fire.
“I think it only helps, really,” he said. “We can stop scoreboard watching. We can start playing desperate, playing like this the last game of our season and we should’ve been playing desperate for a month… I believe in this group. I hope that we can put a good performance and carry it through the week.”
While the Fire will be missing three starters due to suspension, Olsen could call on defender Dejan Jakovic for the first time since August, calling the center back day-to-day with a right hamstring strain.
“He’s made some real progress,” said Olsen, who was less concerned about Jakovic’s potential rustiness. “Yeah, he’s been out a little bit. He’s played a little bit now – he’s been in the league enough, and I think he’s excited to get back, and I think he’ll be fine in that area.”
Jakovic said he’ll test the hamstring on Saturday to determine whether he’s ready to go but that his comeback hasn’t gone as planned.
“It’s actually very frustrating,” Jakovic said. “I’ve had a few setbacks with this injury. I’m doing everything, trying to get back. We all know how important these three games are.”
