As Goalies Go, He's a Keeper

Carvallo Joins United With the Best Endorsement of All -- Mom's

The envelopes and packages stuffed with résumés and DVDs arrive almost daily in Dave Kasper's office on the fourth floor at RFK Stadium.

They come from ambitious amateurs and overlooked college graduates, from agents pushing obscure candidates and fading international players hunting for a final payday.

"Hundreds of 'em," said Kasper, D.C. United's general manager.

It is a soccer executive's version of junk mail, unsolicited appeals that are routinely discarded. But more than a year ago, one packet caught Kasper's attention. He was charmed not only by the applicant's background, but by the person who provided the information: the player's mother.

José Carvallo was a promising goalkeeper playing in his native Peru, a fact that his mom, Lourdes -- who had moved to Ashburn several years ago to work for United Airlines at Dulles International Airport -- believed would appeal to the MLS club. She knew of the team's success and of the Barra Brava, one of United's ardent supporters' groups.

"His mother reached out to us," Kasper recalled. "She sent me a letter saying, 'This is my son, he would love to have the opportunity to be considered, here is his information.' "

Impressed by Carvallo's credentials and in need of a second proven goalie, United completed the atypical acquisition last month by finalizing a loan agreement with his Peruvian club, Universitario. Carvallo, who turns 22 on Saturday, is competing with another newcomer, Zach Wells, to fill the starting job vacated by four-year veteran Troy Perkins, who was sold to a Norwegian team this winter.

Wells, who turns 27 today, has played four seasons in MLS, the past two as the backup on Houston's championship squads, and recently trained with the U.S. national team. Though Wells appears to be the front-runner for United's lead role, Carvallo's experience in both Peru's respected league and fierce South American tournaments has created what club officials believe is a healthy -- and much-needed -- contest.

"The competition is very good," said Carvallo, who is comfortable answering questions in English. "I like competition. It is a good test for me and for any goalkeeper."

Carvallo's path to United may have begun with his mother's correspondence, but it was accelerated by the club's video research. Tucked in a small, windowless office on RFK's main concourse, United's vast video archive allows Kasper and the coaching staff to retrieve highlights from matches played all over the world the last few years.

United, as well as many other MLS teams, have concentrated on Latin America rather than Europe for new talent because of the affordability of players, so when Carvallo's name surfaced, club officials were able to make a quick assessment.

They watched some of his 94 league appearances over four years with Universitario's first team and saw him play in Copa Libertadores, South America's celebrated club competition, as well as Copa Sudamericana, a second-tier continental event. They observed his debut for Peru's national team last fall against Bolivia. They learned of his time with Peru's under-15, under-17 and under-20 squads.