The 2012 season was generally very good one for Dejan Jakovic. D.C. United's Canadian-by-way-of-Serbia center back solidified his starting spot for the Black-and-Red, using his elite speed and underrated tackling ability to help the D.C. defense, particularly down the unbeaten stretch run.
But the real story of Jakovic's 2012 was the elimination of the mistakes - the brain farts - that had plagued his game since he first came to East Capitol Street in 2009.
D.C. United went a long way towards further securing the back line today by extending the contract of veteran center back Dejan Jakovic. The 27-year old Canadian enjoyed the best season of his MLS career and also scored his first league goal. Jakovic played a huge role in keeping United's opponents off the board during the stretch run of the season, really coming into his own as one of the top center backs in MLS.
In a press release today, D.C. United announced that central defender Dejan Jakovic has been called in by the Canadian National Team for his service for two upcoming World Cup Qualifying matches. Jakovic will join the team for its matches against Cuba on Oct. 12 and against Honduras on Oct. 16.
The good news is that United doesn't have any matches during this time frame.
While the Union failed to emerge victorious in the one place that matters most, the scoreboard,
they trumped visiting DC United in every other statistical category. In his first match since
taking over for Peter Nowak, John Hackworth saw his side complete 90 more passes than their
opponents, controlling the match and creating quality chances.
In front of a sellout crowd at PPL Park, Philadelphia Union began John Hackworth's tenure as
manager with all the intent, energy and attacking vigor that was previously lacking from their 2012
performances. The result however was no different as the home side's inability to convert chances
proved costly, as Chris Pontius' 78th minute strike stole all three points for DC United.
D.C. United has perched themselves atop the Eastern Conference standings, and as a result, the
club is at its highest spot of the season in the SBI MLS Power Rankings.
D.C. is up to No. 2 after finishing off a three-win home stand over the weekend, but the team
was not the highest riser of the week.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Revolution scored two early second-half goals to erase a 2-0 halftime
deficit, but D.C. United sub Maicon Santos scored in the 61st minute to give the home side a 3-2
over New England.
It was the second straight game that a second half sub has scored and stolen points away from
the Revolution, this time ruining a valiant second half comeback attempt led by goals from Saer
Sene and AJ Soares.
The Houston Dynamo's long wait for a home to call their own is finally over.
All eyes will be on the Dynamo this weekend as they open BBVA Compass Stadium, the league's
latest soccer-specific venue, with a match against D.C. United in front of a national audience on
NBC Sports Network.
It's only been three weeks since the Dynamo and DC United played at
RFK Stadium. United won 3-2 and while they've continued to play very well since, things will
hopefully be a bit different on Saturday. To preview the match, Martin Shatzer of Black and Red
United and I exchanged a simple question: How will this match be different from the last?
Six months after facing off in a feisty, high-profile playoff series, the Los Angeles Galaxy and
New York Red Bulls meet again -- but with a bit less star power.
Saturday's clash is the only match this season between the big-market clubs, both of which have
experienced some early bumps in the road this year.
D.C. United aims to end one dubious streak Wednesday night, while Sporting Kansas City looks to
keep their impressive one intact.
That is what's on the line in two mid-week MLS matches, as D.C. hosts the Montreal Impact and
Sporting Kansas City leaves the confines of Livestrong Sporting Park, heading north to face the
Vancouver Whitecaps.
Hmmm. Thought we would have had the roster wrapped up by now, but United are apparently still
auditioning new trialists with the addition of left winger Lewis Neal to the party. Unfortunately,
none of the remaining guys getting a look is a left back a position that is probably United's
weakest from the standpoint of starters, and one at which they have zero depth[1].
DC United's match with the Columbus Crew was canceled due to rain. It would have been United's
last match of the preseason against a Columbus Crew side that finished fourth in the Eastern
Conference last year. It rounds up the Carolina Challenge Cup also. With two wins, United win the
cup and look good starting out the year against the current Eastern Conference champs, Sporting
Kansas City.
DC United continue their strong performance at the Carolina Challenge Cup against the Charlseton
Battery defeating the Battery 3-1 and winning the "Coffee Pot Cup." The Coffee Pot Cup is won by
the team who wins this match each time they play. It's a great example of the MLS-USL rivalry that
hardly exists anywhere else.
Almost across the line. United can add 6 more players before the roster spots fill up, and must
add at least two to the salary budget roster by compliance day in order to fulfill the MLS roster
regulations. Of course, it's impossible to tell (from the outside) just how much room remains under
the cap, but I think it's fairly safe to say that we'll be adding two of the four remaining
trialists and not pulling any surprise rabbits from Kasper-Payne's hat.
Apologies if this is a bit scattershot, but the web feed was pretty rough (though much appreciated)
and I'm enjoying some Cabernet Franc with my footie tonight...
* * *
Chicago controlled much of the possession and had more and better chances, but Hamdi Salihi did
what he's been paid the DP cash to do.
It's been a while since we reset the roster, mostly because United have been (relatively) quiet
on the signing front. The big news, of course, was getting De Rosario's contract sorted out and
extended, but there are a few items to address, so let's go ahead and do a pre-Coffee Pot Cup
reset, shall we?
DC United sign Hamdi Salihi as a designated player. Salihi, an Albanian, comes from Rapid Vienna
where he scored 53 goals in 90 appearances for the Austrian club. The 28 year old has been wanted
all over the world, with great offers coming from Scotland.
Salihi will wear the number 9 after Charlie Davies failed to make a reasonable impression on the
United management.
Still no left back, but the slight defensive midfield depth issue has been addressed with the
signing of Brazilian journeyman Marcelo Saragosa. Given that Kitchen will surely miss time for
Olympic qualifiers (and the big show in London if we qualify) and isn't exactly a sure thing as he
steps into his first year in the role for which he's being groomed, depth was a concern.
Could this Kiwi have clipped United's Canuck quotient?
Between trips to sunnier climes, United did a little trialist-pruning, releasing journeyman
veterans Zayner and Svard along with the Suppie pickup Charles Rodriguez (conveniently just
after the last Roster Reset...sigh). Kasper promises more trialists for the Arizona jaunt,
but what I really want to see are (a) game time for Salihi against the MLS opposition on offer
there and (b) a left back, any left back.
United ticked one of the two big "need" boxes by acquiring Albanian international striker Hamdi
Salihi as a designated player (wait, I thought Uncle Will wasn't going to splash the cash?). Given
his impressive rate of return wherever he's played, he certainly seems to fit the poacher's bill,
though he also has decent size.
After D.C. United and the Chicago Fire had their fair share of defensive struggles throughout
the 2011 MLS campaign, the two teams both had a notable silver lining to take away from their
friendly Sunday: no goals allowed.
The boxes are being ticked, slowly but surely. With the addition of central defender Emiliano
Dudar, the depth acquisition project seems all but complete. Still, the two biggest needs, left
back and finisher the ones we've been pointing to all offseason, remain frustratingly unfilled.
Stefan Jerome, recently arrived on trial, would be a nice project up top (can't believe he's only
19 my memories of him as a U 17 seem distant), but isn't the finished product.
D.C. United's preseason personnel surge continued on Wednesday with the acquisition of
Argentine centerback Emiliano Dudar from BSC Young Boys in Switzerland.
The 6-foot-4, 30-year-old Dudar is a player with experience on a number of levels and is a
one-time Swiss league Defender of the Year (2009-2010).
The fight is on for roster spots as half of last Reset's trialists are gone and new faces arrive
for the Florida camp. I'm still not seeing the potential for significant improvement in the weakest
areas (finisher, left back), but at least we're no longer stuck in stasis-land and the depth issues
look like being addressed.
Missile Swap: Out with the Clydewinder, in with the Cruz?
Don't look now, but the glacial pace of United's roster assembly is starting to pick up. Hot on
the heels of the Maicon Santos acquisition comes the signing of former Dynamo right mid Danny
Cruz1, leaving the current roster + trialists looking like this.
Movement at last! Maicon Santos makes it 15 for Salary Budget players, and United drops a
14-trialist bomb as pre-season camp gets underway. Of course, the majority of the trialists are
guys with limited to no MLS experience, but such was always going to be the major source to roster
depth1.
Hey, look, finally an addition to the roster! United picked up versatile attacker (is he a
winger, a forward, an attacking midfielder?...Hmm, I'm sensing a pattern here) Nick DeLeon1 in the
SuperDraft. I don't watch much collegiate ball, so I'm not going to pass any judgement on the
pick.
Based on the current roster list on United's web site and the little scraps of information we
have to go on, I thought I'd begin the Roster Reset in advance of the SuperDraft and the absolute
rafts of new signings the United brain trust are just waiting to announce (hello, sarcasm, you
insufferable trollop).
Cal FC has become the story of U.S. club soccer in recent weeks, and the amateur side's biggest
test yet is on tap for Tuesday night.Â
The fifth-tier side takes on the three-time defending U.S. Open Cup champion Seattle Sounders in
a fourth-round match that will be nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel.
Welcome to tonight's In-Game Blog for the match between the U.S. Men's National Team and Canada.
We'll have all the information on this international friendly for the USA, including lineups,
pre-game facts and in-game notes from Toronto.
The New England Revolution are about to kick off against DC United at Gillette Stadium in the
beautiful spring weather. As usual, this live blog will be run jointly with the guys from New
England Soccer Today. Lineups to follow, and by the way: let the Pepe Moreno era begin!
Lineups
Revolution: Matt Reis; Kevin Alston, Stephen McCarthy, A.
