In oddly simultaneous fashion, D.C. United is making a strong case for having the deepest roster in Major League Soccer while boasting two legitimate most valuable player candidates.
With United desperate to shake itself out of a late-season slump and clinch home-field advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs, D.C. head coach Peter Nowak made rookie Jeff Carroll the third United (15-4-10) player this month to make his first-ever start against the visiting New York Red Bulls on Saturday.
Yet it was United’s two most consistent and important playmakers, Christian Gomez and Jaime Moreno, who each tallied a goal and two assists in the wild, 4-3 win.
“I guess Peter showed he had trust me. I hope I didn’t let him down,” said Carroll, who played the full 90 minutes in a variety of positions: in the middle and wide in the midfield as well as on the back line. Only two of 28 players on the roster haven’t appeared in a match this season. Ten or more will be left unprotected for the offseason expansion draft in preparation for the arrival of Toronto FC next year.
Two players who will be protected — and who have secured their places among United’s best ever — are Gomez (11 goals, 11 assists) and Moreno (11 goals, 8 assists).
“There’s no question in my mind for the last six-to-eight months,” said Nowak when asked if Gomez or Moreno strengthened their case for MLS MVP. “They proved today what kind of players they are and how valuable they are to our team.”
