D.C. United, Crew cope with call-ups (Mar 23, 2018)
The window for international matches is open and call-ups to various national teams around the globe will have an impact on some Major League Soccer matches this weekend, including D.C. United at Columbus Crew SC on Saturday.
Each of those clubs will be missing two starters as the league originals renew a rivalry that began in 1996 and stands in the Crew's favor with a 28-27-11 record in the regular season.
D.C. United (0-1-2) will be without midfielders Zoltan Stieber (Hungary) and Ulises Segura (Costa Rica), and will also be minus Jamaican defender Oniel Fisher, who started the first two matches.
"A lot of call-ups, that's good," D.C. coach Ben Olsen said. "We want to see guys playing in these internationals. The other side of that is that there are opportunities for guys to step in and help the group."
The Crew (2-0-1) lose goalkeeper Zack Steffen and midfielder Wil Trapp to the U.S. team for its match against Paraguay on Tuesday in Cary, N.C. The teammates had started the past 37 games together.
Coach Gregg Berhalter will turn to eight-year veteran backup keeper Jon Kempin or Logan Ketterer in his second season.
Midfielder Ricardo Clark will likely replace Trapp. It's a scenario the Crew planned for when they signed the veteran (338 MLS games) Clark as a free agent from the Houston Dynamo on Feb. 2.
"We feel when that someone is called in, we put them in and they can fulfill their roles and responsibilities," Berhalter said.
"Every day I'm progressing with the team," Clark said. "It's been a process to get on rhythm with the playing style. Gregg's done a great job, the staff's done a great job of giving me feedback on my role and what to do in different situations."
Clark would play alongside Artur in the middle. He said watching Artur and Trapp interact in practices and games gives him a pretty good idea of what he needs to do.
"It's been great using those guys as models," Clark said. "Hopefully, I can replicate that and bring my own style into it."
D.C., which rallied from down two to tie Houston in stoppage time last week, will likely turn to Paul Arriola and 18-year-old Chris Durkin to fill the gaps in the midfield.
Durkin, a rookie, has played 47 minutes in three matches and said being thrown into tough situations late in games has helped him prepare for a possible first MLS start.
"The most important part is I'm feeling more comfortable," he said. "I've started to find my feet a little more each game. I feel confident, and I think each one has been a really great learning experience. I think it can only get better."
Olsen said the fact each team has to deal with absences provides uncertainty for the match.
"They're down a player or two. We're down a few," he said. "That makes it a little bit more of an intriguing lineup."
