One is a 22-year-old rookie, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. The other is a 35-year-old former US Men's National Team staple who hadn't played a competitive game of soccer in two years before this season.
Jack Elliott and Oguchi Onyewu didn't seem like two players who were going to make a significant impact for the Union. But now, they are one of the top centerback pairings in MLS.
The two first played together on April 1, when Elliott made his MLS debut in the second half, subbing in for Richie Marquez, who had to leave the match with a head injury.