Finally.
After an 832-day delay, D.C. United fans finally got to see Branko Bošković—brought in as a designated player in 2010—score in a league match. The Montenegrin’s diving header in the 64th minute was all United needed to take care of lowly Chivas USA, the Southern California team that extended its winless streak to nine and sank even deeper in the Western Conference standings.
Bošković, who last week vented his frustration at being subbed off in the 55th minute of United’s previous two matches, started the game on the bench and actually entered as a substitute in the 57th minute. He wasted no time in making his mark on the match.
“I know you guys made a meal out of his comments earlier in the week,” United Head Coach Ben Olsen said after the match. “To me, that’s just a guy that wants to be on the field and wants to win. I thought his attitude all week has been good.”
Bošković, for his part, was equally as diplomatic.
“I put this behind me,” he said after being asked if the midweek dust-up had motivated his performance last night. “I spoke with Ben, I [have a lot of] respect for him. This is normal, in [your] career you have moments like this, I just try and help my team.”
After a frustrating first half that saw United generate plenty of chances but convert none of them, Olsen inserted Bošković, who looked determined to be the difference-maker. Cutting across the box, Bosko ran onto the end of a Lionard Pajoy cross, bravely diving to nod the ball home. While beautifully executed, it was certainly a foreign sight.
“Tonight—a goal from his head?” Olsen asked. “A diving header, I’m sure that’s the first in his entire life, I’ll have to ask him.”
Earlier in the week, United’s head coach said that everyone—himself included—would have to put in more work to pick up the slack in the wake of Dwayne De Rosario’s season-ending injury. Olsen, for his part, has come through. The players who he’s chosen as substitutes in the teams past three matches have all contributed goals or assists.
United warded off several late Chivas opportunities to tie the game. With the win last night, United moved into a tie with New York for third place in the Eastern Conference. Just three weeks after a collective panic attack about missing the playoffs, the team finds itself just five points out of first place.
Chris Korb, for one, was relieved. “Three wins in a row,” the defender said. “We haven’t done that in a while. And we are actually getting some results on the other end. It’s good. We want to create some separation. See how far we can get up in the rankings and maybe get some home-field advantage in the playoffs.”
With road matches coming up against the underachieving Portland Timbers and historically bad Toronto F.C., United has a chance to do just that. The team needs to cull eight points from its final four games to guarantee its first playoff berth in nearly five years. (It’s possible it could qualify with fewer, but eight points would get the team in for sure.)
United will return to D.C. for its final home game on October 20, a matchup with Columbus which will surely have massive playoff implications for both teams, and finish the year with a visit to Chicago.
Team Notes: The game yesterday was attended by new United owners Erick Thohir and Jason Levien—they joined long-time owner Will Chang and took the game in from the director’s box before spending some time in the locker room after the match … During a weekend in which MLS attendance averaged over 20,000 per game, United drew only 11,770 to RFK Stadium for last night’s match, easily the worst gate in the league … Earlier in the week, forward and assistant coach Josh Wolff had surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back. A timeframe for his recovery wasn’t given, but at 35, this may mark the end of the veteran’s illustrious career … Our good friend Dan Dickinson has put together a handy-dandy chart in which you can track United’s magic number (along with every other team’s) … The D.C. United supporters group Barra Brava will be holding the fourth annual Barra Mini Golf Classic tomorrow evening at H Street Country Club. Proceeds from the event will be contributed to United for D.C. and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society of the National Capital Area. United players and staff will be there, and so will I! Come say hello and help support a great cause. (Also buy me a drink. I’ll drink anything, but I prefer scotch.) Happy hour starts at 5 p.m., “tee time” for mini-golf is at 6:30.
