There was a moment in D.C. United’s 2-0 victory over Atlanta last month that many of those in attendance probably missed. Up 2-0 midway through the second half, United head coach Ben Olsen turned to his bench for reinforcements. An assistant relayed the substitution down to the endline, where United’s reserves were warming up.



Midfielder Chris Durkin, who appeared to believe he was being called upon, began jogging up the sideline, pulling his warmup vest off along the way. After a few steps, though, he realized that it was actually Ulises Segura, who had been standing directly behind him, who had been summoned. Durkin dutifully retreated. He’d end up playing the final two minutes plus stoppage time in the match.



It has been a challenging year for Durkin. The 19-year-old homegrown prospect has seen limited action, struggling to get minutes behind a midfield pairing of Russell Canouse and Junior Moreno that continues to emerge as one of the...