CLEARWATER BEACH, FLA. — Paul Arriola and Russell Canouse have been members of D.C. United for about seven months. Arriola just turned 23. Canouse is 22 until June. Combined, they’ve played all of 21 MLS matches. Until last winter, when Arriola cracked Tijuana’s lineup, neither had started regularly in first- or second-division soccer.
But with the MLS opener less than two weeks away, the young Americans have grasped leadership roles that belie their age and experience.
Both have qualities endearing themselves to Coach Ben Olsen: Arriola is a feisty winger, much like his coach was, while Canouse is a midfield workaholic cut from the same blue-collar, central Pennsylvania cloth as Olsen.