D.C. United will enter the regular season finale Saturday stocked with motivation, knowing a victory or draw against visiting Charlotte FC would clinch its first MLS playoff berth in five years.
But first-year coach Troy Lesesne further fueled his players’ drive — and strengthened their appreciation of United’s storied history — by inviting club alumni to speak to the team before training Thursday.
Four players with MLS Cup rings — Marco Etcheverry, Jaime Moreno, John Harkes and Ryan Nelsen — addressed the group at Inova Performance Complex in Leesburg.
“Our guys need to understand what responsibility they carry this weekend and how supported they are,” Lesesne said during his weekly news conference.