Andrew Dykstra continues to impress. Stepping in for an injured Bill Hamid, the 28-year-old helped D.C. United earn back-to-back wins, while keeping two clean sheets in a row. This week, Dykstra is up for MLS Week 6 Save of the Week and has earned the top spot on MLSsoccer.com's Castrol Index.
Assistant Coach Chad Ashton has been extremely happy with Dykstra's performances. After the 1-0 win over the New York Red Bulls, Ashton praised the netminder's talent.
“Andrew’s great. I’m so happy for him,” Ashton said. “When I looked back at tape, the biggest thing he is doing really well is giving information. His information to the backs is unbelievable. It’s really specific, and it’s keeping everything organized. For any keeper to get two shutouts back-to-back is a big deal. For him to go win, win after not playing with our team for a while is a huge deal.”
The veteran goalkeeper earned his spot after winning USL's Goalkeeper of the Year while on loan with the Richmond Kickers last season. Dykstra spent time with Chicago Fire as well, featuring regularly in 2010. When asked what it was like to step in for the first time for the Black-and-Red, Dykstra kept his poise.
"Yeah, mentally it is kind of tough," he admitted. "But, I think that I have played enough games and had enough experiences in USL and, you know, my first run with Chicago and everything else...It was a little tough, but we did it."
Bobby Boswell was also named to the Castrol Index for his superd performance against New York. The veteran center back, with the help of his back line, kept the likes of Thierry Henry and Péguy Luyindula off the score sheet. D.C. United's Captain has led the charge as the squad has gained momentum, moving up the standings into 4th place.
