WASHINGTON, D.C. – As D.C. United coach Ben Olsen prepares his side for the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, he senses something special could be afoot.
“It’s been a good journey,” Olsen said Tuesday. “But we want it to be a great journey. We’ve had good journeys before. We’re tired of that.”
With arguably the best roster of his coaching career, Olsen admits he enters Thursday’s Eastern Conference Knockout Round match against Montreal (7:30 pm ET, UniMás, TSN1,TSN5) with more hope than he’s ever taken into the postseason.
“Yes,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t show up Thursday night and play a heck of a ballgame. They’re going to. They’re going to bring everything they have. So at home, we historically have been pretty good. I’d expect for us to play the way we’re capable of.”
Each of Olsen’s three previous playoff squads had enough experience and grit to possess a puncher’s chance at a deep run.
But with 34 goals in their last 14 matches, this group is the first to show attacking prowess rivaling some of the great D.C. sides Olsen played for, including the MLS Cup winners in 1999and 2004, and the Supporters' Shield champions in 2006and 2007.
“When we have chances, we finish,” said captain Bobby Boswell, who also played on those 2006 and 2007 teams. “I think the numbers speak for themselves.”
The method is different, though, than the era of D.C.’s “Magic Triangle.”
Argentine playmaker Luciano Acosta has some of the same technical gifts as old heroes like Jaime Moreno, Christian Gomez and Luciano Emilio. Otherwise, the club has improved while retaining Olsen’s gritty mentality, even if July arrivals Patrick Mullins (eight goals, two assists) and Lloyd Sam (three goals, six assists) have excelled offensively with their new club.
“With the exception of maybe Lucho, our team isn’t a bunch of superstars,” Boswell said. “It’s a bunch of hardworking guys that know that we have to go out there and play aggressively. We have to take care of the ball and sometimes make it really ugly if we’re going to do anything. … Guys know their role coming in.”
Boswell wouldn’t compare notes between previous D.C. sides, or the Houston Dynamo clubs he helped to five consecutive playoff appearances and two MLS Cup Finals. He was, however, unmistakably bullish.
“[If] we take care of business against Montreal, guys will believe,” Boswell said. “I think we already do believe. But not just us, I think everyone will kind of think, ‘Holy crap.’ I don’t think anyone will want to come here and play a home game if we go out and send the right message.”
Olsen embraced the idea that supporters should be hopeful for a first run to the MLS Cup in 12 years.
“I’ve been around a few years now, and I’ve seen every scenario possible,” he said. “I’ve seen every type of team win the MLS Cup. Favorites, the teams that are in form, the teams that are out of form but found a way to get out of the Knockout Round. So yeah, absolutely.”
