Rooney’s arrival to cut into the Jamaican’s game time
By Paul Burrowes
Jamaican international Darren Mattocks has equalled his all-time best of eight goals in a US Major League Soccer season, achieved in his rookie season in 2012.
The 27-year-old who plays for DC United, his third team and seventh season in US top-tier football, scored Wednesday night in the 2-2 draw with Los Angeles Galaxy at the StubHub Center. His was a right-footed shot from the left side of the box to the high centre of goal. Paul Arriola provided the assist.
Playing 13 matches (12 starts) so far, Mattocks is now scoring a goal every 128 minutes, with just 50% of matches completed.
But with the arrival of veteran English striker Wayne Rooney to DC United next week, no doubt reducing Mattocks minutes, the Jamaican remains fired up.
“It definitely motivates me,” Mattocks told MLSsoccer.com. “Whoever comes in with that load of experience and knowledge about the game, it's definitely going to help the team. And I’m not going to look at this as ‘Oh, what it's going to do to affect me personally?’ Because at the end of the day it’s a team game.”
Transferred from Portland to DC United on December 12, 2017, Mattocks scored against Toronto, Seattle Sounders, Los Angeles FC, San Jose Earthquakes, Philadelphia Union, Houston Dynamo and Atlanta United.
Mattocks noted that given his current form and the aims he wants to achieve, he would be doing his best“'whoever comes in”.
The Portmore native was brought in when no DC United striker scored more than five goals last season.
“ ... I was given more of an opportunity, and that pushed me to repay these guys who brought me here.”
In Wednesday night’s march, Mattocks took five shots, one on target, and four times he broke loose. He also had 35 touches, with 14 of 17 passes successful.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Galaxy ahead in the fifth minute and Chris Pontius doubled the lead in the 25th minute.
Two minutes later Zoltan Stieber hit back for DC, directing his left-footer to the bottom left corner before Mattocks equalised five minutes from time.
DC remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 11 points from 14 matches while LA Galaxy are in eighth place in the Western Conference, with 22 points from 17 matches.
Rooney is expected to arrive next week Wednesday at DC United, after the US mid-season transfer window opens.
The 27-year-old who plays for DC United, his third team and seventh season in US top-tier football, scored Wednesday night in the 2-2 draw with Los Angeles Galaxy at the StubHub Center. His was a right-footed shot from the left side of the box to the high centre of goal. Paul Arriola provided the assist.
Playing 13 matches (12 starts) so far, Mattocks is now scoring a goal every 128 minutes, with just 50% of matches completed.
But with the arrival of veteran English striker Wayne Rooney to DC United next week, no doubt reducing Mattocks minutes, the Jamaican remains fired up.
“It definitely motivates me,” Mattocks told MLSsoccer.com. “Whoever comes in with that load of experience and knowledge about the game, it's definitely going to help the team. And I’m not going to look at this as ‘Oh, what it's going to do to affect me personally?’ Because at the end of the day it’s a team game.”
Transferred from Portland to DC United on December 12, 2017, Mattocks scored against Toronto, Seattle Sounders, Los Angeles FC, San Jose Earthquakes, Philadelphia Union, Houston Dynamo and Atlanta United.
Mattocks noted that given his current form and the aims he wants to achieve, he would be doing his best“'whoever comes in”.
The Portmore native was brought in when no DC United striker scored more than five goals last season.
“ ... I was given more of an opportunity, and that pushed me to repay these guys who brought me here.”
In Wednesday night’s march, Mattocks took five shots, one on target, and four times he broke loose. He also had 35 touches, with 14 of 17 passes successful.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Galaxy ahead in the fifth minute and Chris Pontius doubled the lead in the 25th minute.
Two minutes later Zoltan Stieber hit back for DC, directing his left-footer to the bottom left corner before Mattocks equalised five minutes from time.
DC remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 11 points from 14 matches while LA Galaxy are in eighth place in the Western Conference, with 22 points from 17 matches.
Rooney is expected to arrive next week Wednesday at DC United, after the US mid-season transfer window opens.
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