WASHINGTON – Immediately following the final whistle of D.C. United’s 1-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday at RFK Stadium, a hoard of D.C. players – including goalkeeper Bill Hamid – surrounded referee Matthew Foerster to express their displeasure.
The anger hadn’t worn down by the time a livid Ben Olsen stepped to the podium in the post-match press conference for a minute-long rant.
“It’s a joke. We get the same clown show every weekend,” Olsen said. “‘They all even out, they all even out.’ [Expletive]. They don’t even out. Not this year they haven’t. Again, nobody wants to hear the coach in last place complaining about the referees. Nobody wants to hear that. But I’ve got a group of men in there that have fought their tails off today. And they’re gutted, because I asked them to give me everything this week.
“I pushed guys to the limit with three games and the [US Open Cup], and they gave it to me today. They gave me everything they had. And the joker in the middle did not do a good job. He failed those guys. He failed the guys in the locker room, my guys that put their heart out there.”
OPTA Chalkboard: Vancouver dig in, make the goal stand vs. D.C.
WATCH: Olsen's press conference
It’s as angry as Olsen’s been publicly this season.
On the play in question, Whitecaps midfielder Matt Watson dribbled into the box and was challenged by Hamid in the 47th minute. Replays of Hamid’s challenge showed the goalkeeper making contact with the ball well before he continued to slide and trip up Watson.
“I just saw me make full contact with the ball. I actually beat the guy there to the ball and honestly, I didn’t even know he went down,” Hamid said. “The guys worked hard for it. Tactically, it was a great game by us. To have two calls like that, I feel sorry for my teammates right now.”
The second controversial, potentially decisive call to which Hamid was referring came in the 93rd minute. With Hamid joining the attack on a corner, he headed a ball toward the goal that appeared to graze the left arm of defender Brad Rusin inside the 18, but no call was made.
“They’re easy calls. I’m not asking him to be a super referee. I’m not. I’m asking him to make the right call,” Olsen said. “If Bill Hamid touches the ball and his follow-through tends to trip the guy, it’s not a PK. If the ball hits a guy’s hand in the box right in front of the referee, it’s a PK.”
So did Olsen receive an explanation from Foerster?
“Explanation? They don’t have to explain,” he said. “I do. To my owners, why I lost another game.”
