Star to play last game in MLS on Saturday
When there’s no hope of the playoffs entering the last game of the year, it’s hard to have a motivating final week of practice. But D.C. United has plenty of inspiration as it prepares for Saturday’s regular-season finale against Toronto, knowing it will be forward Jaime Moreno’s final Major League Soccer match.
“I’m not worried about the guys being committed and ready to go because I know they want to win this one for Jaime,” United interim coach Ben Olsen said. “I want him to play well, first and foremost, find his rhythm and show some of the magic that we’ve seen. Obviously, every seat in the house would love to see a goal.”
The 36-year-old forward isn’t calling it retirement — he might continue his playing career back in his native Bolivia or elsewhere overseas — but he will leave MLS as arguably the best and most important player of the league’s first 15 years. Fittingly, MLS commissioner Don Garber will be among those in attendance to see whether Moreno can add to his MLS all-time scoring record of 132 goals — a mark he shares with Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham.
Devon McTavish and Santino Quaranta, who grew up locally and watched Moreno as kids before later becoming his teammates, haven’t completely accepted that Moreno’s time is up.
“We’re still laughing and having fun with all this stuff, but when it comes down to it, really, the last five minutes, 85th, 86th, 90th minute, it’s really going to kick in that he’s not going to be here any more,” Quaranta said. “I haven’t really thought a whole bunch about it because it’s upsetting.”
Moreno’s departure also is about United (6-19-4) moving on after the worst season in franchise history.
“This year has been extraordinarily difficult, partly because, to be really honest, we didn’t see this coming,” United president Kevin Payne said. “We didn’t expect that we were going to win MLS Cup or the Supporters Shield this year. But we absolutely thought we were going to compete for a playoff spot.”
Instead, United has set a league record for the most scoreless games (17) and likely will do the same for fewest goals scored — currently 19 — in a season.
But with Moreno on the field, United has one final chance to harken back to its glory days, ones that Moreno — an eight-time All-Star and four-time member of the MLS Best XI — played a massive role in creating.
“There’s been nobody who’s been more valuable at this club,” Olsen said, “and it’s a sad day to see him go.”
