United players weary after a tough month
Exhausted and satisfied from a six-game schedule in May that ended with a return to first place in the Eastern Conference, D.C. United won’t play another regular-season match until June 16.
But coach Ben Olsen still needs to figure out how to put together a roster of players to face the Richmond Kickers in the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday. The nation’s oldest knockout tournament was retooled this year to include every U.S.-based MLS team in the third round — a mini qualifying tournament was previously used — and give lower-tiered teams the chance to host games.
| Up next |
| D.C. United at Kickers |
| U.S. Open Cup third round |
| When » Tuesday, 7 p.m. |
| Where » Richmond City Stadium |
“That last 10 minutes of the game, I looked down and didn’t know if I had legs,” United defender Brandon McDonald said after Saturday’s 3-2 win over New England.
With McDonald spent and Dejan Jakovic on international duty with Canada, Olsen likely will turn to Emiliano Dudar and Ethan White in the center of the back line. Goalkeeper Joe Willis should start in net after backing up Bill Hamid the last five league games.
Maicon Santos increased his team-leading goal total to seven with the game-winner against the Revolution. But it was his first action in three games, which could make him an enticing option at forward.
But with Dwayne De Rosario also with the Canadian national team, Olsen will have to decide whether to rest Branko Boskovic in the center of midfield, where he has started the last three MLS games.
D.C. United hasn’t played a U.S. Open Cup game away from the District since a 1-0 loss to the Harrisburg City Islanders on a high school field in Lancaster County, Pa., in 2007. Playing all home games, D.C. United won the tournament in 2008 and advanced to the final in 2009. Changes this year mean that the venue is picked blindly if both competing teams wish to host.
United is 3-1 all time in Open Cup play against the Kickers, with the last meeting in 2010. With a win, D.C. United will move on to the fourth round and host either the Philadelphia Union or the Rochester Rhinos, also of USL Pro, at Maryland SoccerPlex on June 5 or June 6.
