Kitchen owning up to recent mistakes

He just turned to his coach, Ben Olsen.

To try to keep the rookie’s head up after his awkward right-footed clearance in the 49th minute against the Union, Olsen reminded Kitchen of the unfortunate role he played for Nottingham Forest in a 3-0 loss at West Bromwich Albion on Dec. 23, 2000, midway through a loan spell that might have ended in a permanent transfer if not for a right ankle injury.

“Benny actually came up to me and was like, ‘When I was playing in England, I flew my whole family out to watch the game, and the same thing happened to me,'” Kitchen said.

But Kitchen’s gaffe was the second in as many weeks that led to a goal by the opposition. He deflected in Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching’s 89th-minute equalizer off his head June 25. In the locker room after each match, the anguish has been clear on the 19-year-old’s face — the opposite of the fearless determination and tenacious tackling he projects on the field.

“It was just unlucky and unfortunate, and I’m going to take it harder than any of the other guys,” Kitchen said.

Of course, Kitchen’s own goal vs. Philadelphia was created when unmarked Veljko Paunovic was allowed to send a cross into the box, the kind of defensive lapse that has become all too familiar for United (4-5-7), which is tied for the most goals conceded in MLS at 29.

“That game he tried to block it,” fellow rookie defender Ethan White said. “This game he tried to clear it. It happens to the best of us. It happens to the best players in the world. He can’t really worry about it. I’m not upset with him or blaming him at all. He’s doing his job.”

Kitchen’s maturity and mental toughness were part of why D.C. United enthusiastically grabbed him with the third overall selection in this year’s draft. Getting over an own goal will put that to the test.

“It’s a character challenge,” United defender Brandon McDonald said. “To be a good pro, you just have to mentally block it out and move forward. I think he did well.”

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