For United, Absences Present Opportunities

Tom Soehn, center, is showing his team highlights from two recent wins instead of film from its most recent game, a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake. (By Preston Keres -- The Washington Post)

D.C. United has spent the week formulating a lineup that the club hopes will compensate for the absence of Jaime Moreno, Ben Olsen and Bobby Boswell, who are in Venezuela for Copa America.

Coach Tom Soehn believes he has enough personnel options to meet the physical needs of the club. The cerebral demands might be another matter.

Moreno, who is on Bolivian national team duty, has been United's team captain for three years. Olsen, who has joined Boswell on the U.S. team for at least another week, is the club's emotional leader. And Boswell has established himself as D.C.'s defensive organizer.

"It becomes a time when other guys get to show their leadership qualities," Soehn said yesterday after workouts in the blazing heat. "Sometimes they are afraid to show it when the other guys are here. So not only is it a great opportunity for some young guys to play, but for some of the older players to display different characteristics they normally don't have to show."

Soehn declined to reveal who will wear the captain's armband, a prestigious honor in soccer. Fourth-year goalkeeper Troy Perkins, who has become increasingly assertive each season, is a top candidate, but when asked if he will receive it, he said: "I don't have the tenure. I'd say [Brian] Carroll or [Bryan] Namoff."

Namoff probably will not be an option, though, after sitting out practice the past two days because of a hamstring injury. Soehn said he will be reevaluated today to determine his availability. Also, defender Josh Gros has been fitted with a cast after breaking his left wrist last weekend. (He has broken his right wrist three times.) However, he will not miss any time.

Regardless of who gets the captain's role, Perkins does not believe leadership will be an issue. "We've got guys who can step up and lead this team and take control of everything," he said.

On-field guidance will be critical for United (5-4-2), which is coming off a 2-1 loss to previously winless Real Salt Lake and is adjusting to life without Olsen (11 starts) and Boswell (10). They joined the national team Sunday and, like Moreno, who departed two weeks ago, will not return until the July 8 game against Houston, at the earliest.

"The responsibility is there for everybody," Argentine playmaker Christian Gomez said through an interpreter. "We all have to be leaders right now."

While leadership is one issue, finding the right combination of players is another. Devon McTavish is a natural replacement for Boswell, and with Namoff's status doubtful, Soehn might also have to drop a midfielder onto the back line, give Marc Burch his first start or return to a three-defender, five-midfield formation that the club abandoned early in the season.

Olsen's spot might end up going to Clyde Simms, but if he is needed in the back, Justin Moose could get the call. Rookie Guy-Roland Kpene, who has played well all season but has yet to score, is the top choice to replace Moreno.

Following Saturday's ghastly performance, Soehn tried to accentuate the positive this week by showing tape of the previous two matches in which United combined for seven goals in a pair of victories.

"I wanted to focus on that part of the game more than all the things we did wrong in Salt Lake because I couldn't find one highlight from that last game -- not one," he said. "I think the only highlight was when the referee blew the whistle at the end, so I didn't have to watch anymore."

United Notes: The Rapids, who have lost four straight, will be without Copa America call-ups Kyle Beckerman and Herculez Gomez, as well as suspended defender Ugo Ihemelu and injured forward Conor Casey. . . . After a week in Nigeria's training camp, United's Kasali Yinka Casal was not selected to the country's Under-20 World Cup squad and will return this week. . . . According to a source familiar with the situation, United is planning to re-sign midfielder Dominic Mediate, a former Maryland Terrapin who broke his leg late last season and was waived this winter.