This year’s camp began not only without Hamid, but also without any of the four goalies who saw action in 2022. The competition for the starting gig against Toronto FC in the MLS opener on February 25 features two agent signings free and a candidate promoted from second place United. division subsidiary.
“You don’t come here trying to unseat someone who’s had the job for years, who’s a fan favorite, who’s a darling among the guys,” Alex Bono said. “The three of us are coming in with a clean slate.”
Hamid and United parted ways after their injury-shortened 2022 season, ending the second-longest tenure by a DC player (behind Jaime Moreno’s) and a career of 290 games and 80 shutouts, including the playoffs. The 32-year-old remains a free agent.
Bono, 28, arrived after eight seasons in Toronto, where he started 48 games in the previous two years. Tyler Miller, 29, signed after starting 30 times with Minnesota in 2021 and losing the starting job last year. Luis Zamudio, 24, was the main goalkeeper for Loudoun United last year while training regularly with the DC team.
When the camp opened, coach Wayne Rooney and goaltending coach Diego Restrepo made it clear that the number 1 spot was up for grabs. Miller and Bono have each started one preseason game. Zamudio was a second-half substitute in both, then started a 45-minute game.
“For them, it’s about minutes, and whether it’s the next game or the next game, they’ll know who the starting goalkeeper is going to be,” Rooney said. “I have one in mind, but I will discuss it with the boys and with [Restrepo] and make a decision from there.”
Having started the preseason opener last week, Miller appears to have the upper hand. But Bono’s experience and Zamudio’s potential have left the race open.
“Wayne has told us that anyone can play,” Zamudio said. “He doesn’t care how old we are. He’s going to play whoever he thinks is the best.”
Miller’s firm brought it full circle. The summer after his freshman year at Northwestern, he was invited to practice informally with United at the training camps at RFK Stadium. His professional career took him from a reserve role in Seattle to, via the expansion draft, a starting job with Los Angeles FC in 2018 and 2019. He was traded to Minnesota in 2020 and started in 2021 before endorsing Dwayne St. Claire last year. .
With Miller out of action last summer, United asked for a trade to give him depth while Hamid recovered from hand surgery and in his place, neither Rafael Romo nor Jon Kempin stood out. Instead, D.C. reached an agreement with Real Salt Lake for David Ochoaa highly prized prospect in the final year of his contract.
Offseason negotiations with Ochoa fell through, and on the first day of free agency, Miller said he received calls from chief executive Jason Levien, Rooney and two other staff members encouraging him to join United.
“I’ve never gotten that kind of treatment,” said Miller, who signed a two-year contract. “It’s a simple thing, but it goes a long way.”
Bono’s time with Toronto, which included 135 appearances during the regular season and playoffs, ended late last season in a reserve role.
“The feeling on both sides was that it was time to move on,” Bono said, adding that “there was no animosity.”
He said he took other bites in free agency, but “I felt very lucky that DC wanted to sign me.”
Zamudio’s path began in the youth ranks of Club América in Mexico. In 2019, he was part of the first team’s match day roster in three Liga MX games. His parents are from Mexico, but he was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Las Vegas.
He played for second and third division clubs in the US before breaking out with Loudoun last year. Thanks to regular training sessions with DC, “I knew I was on his radar,” he said. “I knew that if I performed well, I could be considered for the first team.”
As soon as the season was over, he was offered an MLS contract.
Preseason competition has required candidates to not only make saves and organize defense, but also proactively initiate attack by playing higher up the field, seizing opportunities and using their feet for quick distribution.
“I’m an aggressive goalie,” Miller said. “I like to play high and for Wayne it’s a step further. He’s taken a while, but I really feel like I’ve got it right. He’s great about it: if you make a mistake, he’s okay. It’s about reading the game and not playing scared.”
“He wants us to be very brave,” Zamudio added.
The goal for all three is to be in the lineup by the end of this month at Audi Field. For Bono, that would mean taking on his former team.
“That’s a little extra motivation,” he said, smiling. “It’s a bit more urgent to go after that spot because I definitely feel like there’s unfinished business. You would love to play with your old team and try to stick with them.”
Notes: Polish attacker Mateusz Klich received his work visa and arrived at the camp on Tuesday night. He is scheduled to debut Monday against Los Angeles FC. …
Christian Benteke and Chris Durkin scored in a 3-2 loss to Charlotte FC on Wednesday. Then, in a 45-minute session with the substitutes for the first game, United drew 1-1 with Vancouver. Rookie Aidan Rocha (Georgetown) scored.
