D.C. United forward Long Tan – acquired last week fromVancouver in exchange for a supplemental draft pick – didn’t waste any time inleaving an impression on his new teammates.
“I admired him even last year when he came on a little bitfor Vancouver,” said D.C. captain Dwayne De Rosario after Tan’s first fulltraining session with the Black-and-Red on Monday. “He provides a different element for us. He runs endlessly and, as we saw today,he has great feet.”
Tan’s diverse skill set was on full display in thenine-a-side scrimmage that brought Monday’s session to a close. First, he shook a pair of defenders ona dazzling sequence that ended with a well-placed finish from about twelveyards out. Moments later Tan madethe most of a cross from Danny Cruz, heading home on a sharp near-post run. Finally - with just moments left in what had turned into a very competitive exercise - the young striker showed his poaching touch, getting on the end of a pass from Hamdi Salihito put his side ahead for good.
If Tan - who played just 28 minutes in four appearances thisseason with the Whitecaps - was looking for inspiration from a new beginning, the 24-year-oldis off to a fast start.
“He’s a good guy to have around and develop,” added DeRosario, who teamed with Tan in the small-sided game. “We are going to try tokeep him positive and keep him focused and support him. I think he is a really good addition toour team.”
