Final
United-Revolution Preview
Aug 6, 2010 - 5:50 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS WriterD.C. (3-12-3) at New England (4-9-3), 7:30 p.m. EDT
Mired at the bottom of MLS and on course to miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season, D.C. United have made a second coaching change in less than a year.
Interim coach Ben Olsen will try to guide United to their first win in six games when they visit the New England Revolution on Saturday night.
With a dozen games remaining in the season, D.C. (3-12-3) has the fewest points in MLS with 12 and has scored the fewest goals (12) while giving up the most (31).
United are also enduring an 0-4-2 stretch and showed few signs of being able to turn things around last Saturday, falling 3-0 at Salt Lake.
The team fired coach Curt Onalfo on Wednesday, less than a year after parting ways with Tom Soehn.
"This decision is not about placing blame, but about looking forward," United president Kevin Payne said. "Recent performances have convinced us that we need to make a change at the top for the team to improve the remainder of this season, for 2011 and beyond."
Olsen, a long-time fan favorite, helped United win two of their league-best four MLS Cups and joined the coaching staff after retiring at the end of last season.
"We've asked Ben to focus on three objectives for the balance of this season," Payne said. "Prepare to win the next game, demand of our players the same commitment to the shirt that he displayed, and determine which players demonstrate that they want to play for United next season."
Olsen inherits a team that was outscored 9-2 over the last six games and has been shut out 12 times on the season.
Andy Najar has been one of the few bright sports for United. The 17-year-old forward has a team-high three goals.
D.C. went 0-2-1 in its last three meetings with New England (4-9-3), losing 2-0 at home April 3.
The Revolution are three points ahead of D.C. in the Eastern Conference. They are looking to carry some momentum back into MLS play after beating Mexico's Puebla 5-3 on penalties Wednesday to reach the SuperLiga final Sept. 1.
New England is 3-0-1 in the tournament, but has gone 1-3-1 in its last four MLS games, tying expansion Philadelphia 1-all last Saturday.
The SuperLiga has apparently provided a boost to forward Kenny Mansally, who scored in regulation and converted the winning penalty Wednesday.
"I think SuperLiga helped me a lot," Mansally said. "I didn't get a lot of chances during the league but when the SuperLiga came, I just stepped in and tried to prove myself. It's helping me to get back to the way I like to play with more confidence."
Mansally's only two MLS goals this season came against United on April 3. He is trying to end a nine-game drought.
- MLS UPDATE
DC UNITED 0
NEW ENGLAND 1 FINAL
Aug 7 9:29 PM - MLS UPDATE
DC UNITED 0
NEW ENGLAND 1 END 2ND HALF
Aug 7 9:29 PM - MLS UPDATE
DC UNITED 0
NEW ENGLAND 1 HALFTIME
Aug 7 8:24 PM - MLS UPDATE
DC UNITED 0
NEW ENGLAND 1
NEW ENGLAND GOAL: Pat Phelan in the 42nd minute
D.C. United 0, Revolution 1 42'Aug 7 8:21 PM
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