July 28, 2016
Washington D.C.- D.C. United’s search for the player with the magic touch continues. On Friday, the club announced that they had acquired midfielder-forward Kennedy Igboannanike from the Chicago Fire. The Fire will receive Targeted Allocation Money and a third round pick for the Nigerian.
Igboannanike, 27, scored 4 goals for the Fire this season in 18 starts. He signed with the club back in 2015 after having spent the previous eight seasons in Swedish football.
Despite coming to the league under a Designated Player tag, Igboannanike has not really lived up to the moniker. Although he did score 7 goals last season for the Fire he did not score in the club’s first nine matches. The Fire will retain Igboannanike’s Designated Player tag.
Part of the problem seems to stem from playing out of position. Generally speaking he is at his best when he can use his speed and pace as a winger. As a forward, he doesn’t have the space to break down defenses.
Now the question for D.C. is: do they believe that Igboannanike’s issues with the forward position are due to the Fire’s lack of depth? Given D.C.’s surplus of wingers (the club currently has Lloyd Sam, Lamar Neagle, Patrick Nyarko, Luciano Acosta, and Rob Vincent) it would seem that he would most likely step up top in a 4-3-3 with Alvaro Saborio and Patrick Mullins.
No matter who United coach Ben Olsen chooses to play in the attacking they need to start scoring. United have scored just 19 goals this season, the second lowest among any Major League Soccer side. The club has been shutout 9 times which is the worst in MLS. Their inability to mount even a modicum of an attacking has stymied the club’s efforts to make the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
Can Igboannanike reignite a stagnant D.C. attack? Much like with the additions of Sam and Mullins the opportunity seems to be there for him to take. But as of right now it is uncertain whether this move will tip the season in favor of D.C.
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In addition to the Igboannanike trade, United announced that goalkeeper Tally Hall has retired. Hall, 31, signed with D.C. back in April. The former Houston Dynamo was picked up as insurance after the club lost both Bill Hamid and Andrew Dykstra early in the season. Although he did not make an appearance for D.C., Hall had a noteworthy MLS career making two All Star Games and two MLS Cup Final appearances.
Dykstra, who sustained a back injury in March, will play three matches with USL side Richmond Kickers before returning back to United’s eighteen man lineup.
Chicago Fire
DC United
