First loss in eight games partly a result of some injuries in the back It doesn’t take long in Major League Soccer for momentum to disappear.
Even a roster with D.C. United’s depth wasn’t able to withstand all its injuries in a 5-3 loss at San Jose on Wednesday, ending United’s first winning streak since 2009 and a stretch of seven games without a defeat.
Missing first-team center backs Emiliano Dudar (hamstring) and Dejan Jakovic (ankle) and reserve central defender Ethan White (knee surgery), United’s back line was twisted into knots trying to keep up with the Western Conference-leading Earthquakes (7-1-1), who scored more against United than any team since 2008.
| Up next |
| D.C. United at Toronto FC |
| When » Saturday, 4 p.m. |
| Where » BMO Field, Toronto |
| TV » CSN+ |
“We have to survive,” United coach Ben Olsen told reporters afterward when asked to look ahead.
Fortunately, instead of the hottest team in MLS, United (4-3-3, 15 points) will explore the other end of the spectrum against Toronto FC (0-7-0, 0 points), which matched the worst start in league history when it gave up a 93rd-minute goal at Real Salt Lake last weekend.
But Olsen still faces a host of choices for his team’s third game in eight days, not the least of which will be at goalkeeper. Following Bill Hamid’s departure for Olympic qualifying with the U.S. under-23 national team, Joe Willis has started the last nine matches in front of the net. He wasn’t directly responsible for any of the goals given up Wednesday, but getting beaten five times could be a blow to his confidence.
Hamid has been all but ignored following his return last month despite being the team’s first-choice keeper for most of the last two seasons. But he’s not bothered by the notion of a competition.
“It’s always been like that,” he said. “When I first came here, it was with Josh Wicks and Milos [Kocic], and I was third. I was just here, improving myself, getting acclimated to the professional level. The next year, it was Troy [Perkins], and we all know what happened with that. I got my chance that year, and things worked out well for me. … That competition thing, it’s always been around, but it’s not how I approach things.”
Andy Najar also excelled as a substitute right back in the second half at San Jose, picking up his first assist of the season. The former MLS rookie of the year has made just one start since his Olympic duty with the Honduran national team.
Hamdi Salihi, who had played a combined 15 minutes in United’s three previous games, also scored his first MLS goal against the Earthquakes. It came on a deft chip off a centering pass from Dwayne De Rosario, who picked up his league-leading seventh assist to go with his second goal of the year earlier in the game. When Chris Pontius came off the bench to score against New England on April 14, Olsen moved him into the starting lineup. It remains to be seen whether he will do the same with Salihi in Toronto.
