Seventeen-year-old Chris Durkin earned his first Major League Soccer 18-man roster spot for Saturday's match against the Chicago Fire. While the Homegrown Player has appeared for the Black-and-Red in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match and preseason friendlies, Saturday was Durkin's first time being named to D.C. United's bench for a Major League Soccer match.
Durkin, a Glen Allen, Va., native, became the eighth Homegrown Player in United's history in June of 2016. The midfielder, whose versatility also allows him to feature in defense, made his Black-and-Red debut on June 15, 2016, in United's U.S. Open Cup match against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Durkin has also made multiple appearances with United's USL affiliate the Richmond Kickers, and is a member of the U-17 U.S. Men's National Team. The Homegrown Player was named to the Best XI during last month's U-17 CONCACAF tournament, and captained the U.S. side in their final group stage match against El Salvador. Durkin will rejoin the national squad in India later this year as they compete in the U-17 World Cup.
