As halftime substitute, forward hits post twice
Branko Boskovic couldn’t recall ever hitting the woodwork twice and still walking away without a goal.
“I don’t remember when I have the same situation in the game in my career like this,” Boskovic said after pinging the crossbar with a dipping free kick and the post with a left-footed blast in the final 20 minutes of D.C. United’s 4-0 loss to New York on Thursday. “I know when I have one chance, when the second come, I score. But tonight it’s very unlucky for me.”
That’s as close as the Montenegrin veteran comes to displaying anything resembling frustration, and he’s been similarly stoic on the subject of his limited playing time. But United coach Ben Olsen may have little choice but to insert Boskovic into the starting lineup for the next regular-season match after he offered the only standout performance among D.C. players against the Red Bulls.
It would be the closest United has come to giving its highest-paid player a blessing and the best chance to succeed.
Boskovic’s arrival last summer wasn’t ideal. He made eight starts in 2010, but asking a new, foreign acquisition to resurrect an underperforming and injury-plagued squad wasn’t realistic.
The 30-year-old’s only start this season came in Colorado — the hardest place in MLS to play at an altitude that’s not suited to his abilities — as part of a makeshift starting 11 due to injuries.
Calling upon him off the bench to bring D.C. back from a two-goal halftime deficit against New York stacked the chips against Boskovic again.
“You need more motivation than when you start from 0-0,” he said. “You must be positive. It’s difficult in football. It’s 11 players, and when you have in the halftime, 2-0, it’s very difficult, especially when you come in. But you must be strong and try to change something to make difference.”
The swap came at the expense of Dax McCarty, and the impact was immediate. Boskovic was a spark of creativity and a stark contrast to the struggles of McCarty and Clyde Simms, who are both naturally defensive midfielders.
“It’s not been an easy ride for him,” Olsen said, echoing a familiar refrain. “He’s been an absolute pro. Whatever his role has been, he has done a good job for us.”
Boskovic has earned the opportunity to do even better.
“Branko’s quality is clear,” United forward Josh Wolff said. “He’s very good on the ball. He’s crafty with it, a good passer, and you saw he could hit some shots from distance. … He’s certainly someone that can help this team.”
