Yesterday, the team took the field for the first time this week in preparation for its upcoming match against the Philadelphia Union. While the starters from the Portland match stayed inside for a regen session, the remaining players headed out to the D.C. United practice field. Forward Eddie Johnson who was back on the field after not traveling due to injury last week.
On a perfectly sunny afternoon, the group began the day with small sided one-touch keep away and then moved into its warm up. While the keepers went with Goalkeeping Coach Preston Burpo to conduct their own warm up, the field players went through a gauntlet of agilities, stretching and explosive maneuvers.
Next, they were split in to two groups of seven, three inside the square and four outside of it. The three players on the inside were fed a ball, worked it one-touch to each other before the last man played the ball back out. The ball was then played from the outside to the three in the middle and repeated. The three players in the middle were responsible for moving off the ball and creating passing lanes for each other. Then, they played six vs. six possession with two neutrals, Eddie Johnson and Lewis Neal. The field was broken down in to grids, with a certain number of passes in each grid earning a team one point.
After these two drills, goalkeepers joined the group as they went seven vs. seven to goal. In the first game, Alex Caskey beat Joe Willis with a far post strike to give the red team the victory, but in the second game Jared Jeffrey scored for the green squad to even the series.
The full team will train for the next three days before departing for Philadelphia Friday afternoon. The Black-and-Red will take on the Union at 4 p.m. EST on Saturday, May 10, and it will be aired locally on CSN.
Want to join DCU on the road? Click here to find more information about away trips!
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<p class="affiliate">Training Notes presented by <a class="red" href="http://www.theorthocentermd.com/">Orthopaedic Center</a>.</p> |
