But this 2016 campaign, jolted to life after months of vanilla soccer, has left Olsen craving something more.

“It’s been a good journey, but we want it to be a great journey,” he said. “We’ve had good journeys before — little bit tired of that.”

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A darling run in 2012 ended in the Eastern Conference finals. Following a disastrous 2013, United fell to the archrival New York Red Bulls in the semifinals the subsequent two years. In 2014, D.C. was the top seed but showed late-season cracks. Last year, defender Steve Birnbaum said, “we limped in.”

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This fall looks and feels different. Despite placing fourth, United is in its best pre-playoff form since winning its most recent MLS Cup title 12 years ago.

The regular season ended Sunday with a 4-2 defeat at Orlando, but with low stakes, Olsen started 10 reserves. With the first unit engaged, United was 6-1-6 over three months, won four straight late in the year and scored at a league-best pace.

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“There’s a belief we can make a serious run at the final,” defender-midfielder Nick DeLeon said. “We are working for each other and fighting for each other. Everything is coming full-circle at the perfect time.”

Orchestrated by Luciano Acosta, the attack has worked in perfect harmony. Lloyd Sam and Patrick Nyarko are creating on the wings. Patrick Mullins, a summer acquisition, has scored eight goals in 14 appearances.

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The first-choice back line hasn’t conceded more than one goal in a match since the middle of September. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid is among MLS’s best. Reserves have stepped in to fill critical, injury-related voids.

“I like this group to make a real stab at this thing,” captain Bobby Boswell said.

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Thursday’s clash is certainly trending in United’s favor:

By finishing a point ahead of Montreal, United earned the right to play again at RFK Stadium, where it is 6-0-3 since June and averaging more than three goals in its past seven dates.

Olsen rested almost all of his probable starters Sunday and reintegrated Marcelo Sarvas and Sean Franklin, full-time players who had missed considerable periods with injuries.

Montreal striker Didier Drogba did not accompany the team to Washington, an Impact spokesman said. The former Chelsea superstar was embroiled in a dispute with Coach Mauro Biello , then stopped training regularly because of an apparent back injury. Although Drogba’s influence waned this summer, his absence leaves Montreal without one of MLS’s most lethal scoring threats.

Despite being favored, United recognizes the need to impose itself from the start and avoid the letdowns that could turn the match. In both regular season meetings with the Impact, United conceded tying goals after the 75th minute. The first time, Montreal was a man down after a Drogba red card.

If the playoff rematch is even through 90 minutes, the teams will play a mandatory 30 minutes of extra time and, if necessary, a penalty-kick tiebreaker.

Olsen said he senses a stronger playoff vibe than in past years.

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“Everything is there for us,” he said, “but it doesn’t mean a lot if we don’t show up and do the job at home. It’s a one-game playoff — anything can happen.”

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Last year, United rebounded from regular season woes to defeat New England in a playoff at RFK, coming from behind for a 2-1 victory. In the two-leg conference semifinals against the Red Bulls, D.C. reverted to form and didn’t score a goal.

A stylish, deeper playoff run this year would help United shed its pigeonholed image as an underdog that compensates for perceived talent deficits solely with scrappy, determined performances. Regardless of personnel, grit will always remain a characteristic of Olsen-coached teams, but as United has demonstrated late this season, it can play some attractive soccer, too.

“We don’t have that star power that this league really likes and gravitates to,” DeLeon said. “We are more of [a] hard-working, fight-for-each-other group. But we are also talented, and everybody is clicking — the touches, the passes, the finishing, the defending. It’s all coming together.”

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D.C. United vs. Montreal Impact

Where: RFK Stadium.

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

TV: UniMas, Univision Deportes.

Digital viewing: univisiondeportes.com, Direct Kick, MLS Live, Univision Now.

Records: United 11-10-13, 46 points; Impact 11-11-12, 45 points.

D.C. probable starters: GK Bill Hamid; Ds Nick DeLeon, Steve Birnbaum, Bobby Boswell, Taylor Kemp; MFs, Lloyd Sam, Rob Vincent, Jared Jeffrey, Luciano Acosta, Patrick Nyarko; F Patrick Mullins.