WASHINGTON – While D.C. United’s players were understandably frustrated with the officials following Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Philadelphia, television cameras also captured a seemingly intense feud between teammates Chris Korb and Brandon McDonald (above).
There were backs turned, fingers pointed and now, two days later … peace.
“We’re all like a family here, so it’s like fighting with your brother,” Korb said following Tuesday’s training session. “At the end of the game, yeah, we were barking at each other. But it’s over after five minutes when we’re in the locker room.
WATCH: Pontius calls out Dudar for red card
“We’ve got to take care of that a little better, but it’s not a big deal,” added Korb. “I think it kind of got blown out of proportion.”
United’s leading scorer Chris Pontius also found himself in a verbal spat with Emiliano Dudar after Dudar’s tackle and consequent red card in the craziness of the final five minutes against Philly.
He, too, is well past the issue.
“It’s just because I want to win games,” Pontius said. “I have nothing personal against the guy. I want to win games, though. I think that’s the way everyone approaches it.”
United coach Ben Olsen wasn’t necessarily upset with the fact that members of his team jawed at one another, but he’s not thrilled it happened in the public eye.
“I addressed that in the end,” Olsen said. “That just can’t happen on camera. That’s my message.
"If you want to come in the locker room and throw someone against the wall if they screwed up, that’s part of this. That’s emotional, professional sports. But I can’t have it on the field in the camera’s eyes.”
Emotions likely will be high again for D.C. during the second game of their five-match, two-week stretch when Chicago visit RFK Stadium on Wednesday (7:30 pm ET; watch LIVE online).
But, according to Olsen, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
“I prefer to look at it as we’re an emotional team right now and you need to play with emotion in these games,” Olsen said. “Every game from here on out is a dogfight. The East is tight.”
