D.C. United have collected 47 points from 23 league matches, a robust haul that practically locks up the Eastern Conference championship while giving United the inside track on the MLS Supporters' Shield.
Yet the team has only won twice since July 15, and those were U.S. Open Cup victories against Columbus and New York, sides languishing far beneath D.C. in the league standings. With only one loss during that time, it's hardly a tailspin -- but when compared to the club's own lofty standards, United's play over the last month has not measured up and the squad is anxious to return to their early-season dominance.
"It is a long season and you have to stay sharp the entire time and you have to stay focused the entire time," said midfielder Brian Carroll. "If you let it slip for whatever reason, whatever it may be, then it's going to catch up with you and the results are not going to go your way."
Carroll and his teammates are optimistic that Wednesday's 3-1 USOC quarterfinal win over the Red Bulls can ignite the chemistry and cohesion that made them such a difficult proposition for the rest of the league earlier in the campaign. After a youthful first XI missing several regular starters stumbled through the first 45 minutes, the Black-and-Red recovered with a slick second-half display that powered them past New York with room to spare.
"I think we finally saw that we've got it back," said defender Bryan Namoff. "We're at our best when we're playing one- and two-touch. When we move the ball quickly I don't think there's a team in here that can stop us. It's just about believing in ourselves. These last two weeks we were kind of down in a mental aspect. This is a pick-up game for us -- hopefully our confidence has risen and we take that into Saturday."
That budding resurgence will be put to the test as United hosts a hot Los Angeles Galaxy side that has won three of their last four matches in all competitions, after going undefeated in the month of July.
The defending champs can thank United for one key ingredient in their recent revival. Former D.C. darling Santino Quaranta has burst onto the L.A. scene since being traded on Aug. 8, scoring two goals in his first three matches with his new club.
"L.A. is on a little roll right now and Tino has been doing well for them," said Carroll. "They're going to come out trying to get the most points they can, and it's an important game for us because we need to get the most points we can at home and get another run going."
Quaranta's Aug. 9 match-winner against Houston earned Sierra Mist Goal of the Week honors, while he beat F.C. Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala from long range in last Saturday's 2-0 win. Before departing D.C. for the last time, the Baltimore native and onetime teen phenom vowed to burn his old club on his return to RFK Stadium.
"We have to watch him from 30 yards out right now," said Namoff with a smile. "I don't think he's going to be easy to cover. He's a good player, he's got a great shot, he's definitely going to be motivated to come in and try to do something against his former team."
But the league leaders are growing accustomed to that sort of attitude as their success has made them the prime target for the rest of the MLS pack.
"We're at home [on Saturday], and when we're at home, we're at our best," said Namoff. "We're going to go out there just like any other game and we're going to come at them. Every team in the league right now is kind of gunning for us. That's just something we have to take in stride -- we're on top and everyone's chasing us right now."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
