Moments before entering the field of play, substitutes offof D.C. United’s bench receive a brief series of last instructions. With Head Coach Ben Olsen presidingover on-field activities, assistants Pat Onstad and Chad Ashton are usuallyleft to deliver the all-important final message.
That message was crystal clear in the final quarter-hour ofSaturday’s 1-0 win over Philadelphia: HOLD THE BALL.
“That was obviously the idea,” Lewis Neal said of hisassigned duties after coming on in the 61st minute. “It wasn’t really happening for us all over the field. It was one of those times when [D.C.’stechnical staff] were trying to get us on to just get a hold of the ball alittle bit and keep it. I thoughtwe did an OK job of that.”
Eleven minutes after Neal replaced rookie Nick DeLeon,Branko Boskovic joined the Englishman as another set of fresh legs inmidfield. The pair combined tocomplete 24 of their 26 attempted passes as United denied Philadelphia anyprolonged spells of possession at a time when the Union were pushing for ascore.
“Those guys are real possession guys,” Olsen noted when asked about hissecond-half midfield reinforcements. “I thought they bought us some real time on the offensive possession,and that was key down the stretch.”
Boskovic’s effort in a central role was particularlyimpactful. The Montenegrin pickedup his third assist in as many outings while completing all eleven of thepasses he attempted during an 18-minute stint.
“He controlled the midfield,” Dwayne De Rosario said ofBoskovic. “He found the littlepockets when I was underneath and we started to knock the ball around and keeppossession in [Philadelphia’s] half, which was lacking a little bit.”
