DC United’s Growing Pains Show Up in 4-1 Loss to Houston

DC United’s 4-1 loss foreshadows difficult times ahead as injuries mount, especially among its defenders.  Garrison Tubbs was the latest, needing stitches for a head cut and possibly facing concussion rehab.  Even if he is available for the game against the NY Red Bulls, the team will miss yet another defender as Matai Akinmboni picked up a red card late in the game.

Also missing will be Captain Christian Benteke who talked his way into a second caution after questioning a call with 30 minutes left in the game.  His too strong reaction showed a failure to read the referee who had been quick to issue cautions, especially to United, throughout the game.  Benteke neglected a basic principle.

For the first ten minutes, the players and referee are negotiating.  The players read what the referee will allow and the referee reads what the players are comfortable with.  Usually, the game flows reasonably as both come to an understanding.  On Saturday that didn’t happen and United lost two players who failed to read the referee.  They will leave the team shorthanded for the game at New York Red Bulls.

On the injury front, United has already lost three starting defenders and now Akinmboni for a game.  Lesesne was asked about loanees Hayden Sargis and Jeremy Garay.  He explained, “I’ve tried really hard to make sure that those two guys get what they need individually.  It just is what makes sense for the individuals and for our club as well.  So next weekend we’ll look at that cuz we’re going to be down numbers even more now.  It’s a difficult situation.”  In fact, both have been added to the roster.

Sargis will help the defense which will still have to rely on Matti Peltola either as an actual defender or as a defense-minded midfielder.  Either way, with injured Jackson Hopkins questionable he will find his workload heavy.

Coach Lesesne was not pleased with his team’s performance, “I thought the first half we did enough to obviously take the lead, but second-half I thought Houston deserved all three points clearly and we can’t tolerate performances like that.  We have to take responsibility and accountability and we’ve been saying that too often lately.  So we need to figure some things out.”

Former DC United coach, Ben Olsen, who now coaches Houston, sympathized with Lesesne who he believes is on the right track long term, “I had a really nice conversation with Troy and was rooting for him.  I think he a is a good young coach with a pretty clear vision on where he wants to go and I think they’re down on their luck right now, so I’m looking forward to watching them over the next couple of years.”

Olsen described the tribulations that all coaches face, “This is the job.  You’re constantly adapting to suspensions and injuries and a bad storm and it’s week to week.”  He acknowledged that his years at DC were a learning period for him and sees his opposite number in that light, “I’m looking forward to watching him grow in this role.  He’s a very good human being too, authentic.  I think that goes a long way.  I hear enough good things about the culture and the players.  They fight for it, a scrappy team.”  That scrappiness was a hallmark of Olsen and remains a DC United feature.

The team goes to New Jersey Saturday with a jerry-rigged lineup.  Feistiness will be their best hope, if they can read the referee correctly.